About Imaged Records
The Railroad Commission (RRC) is committed to providing our current and historical information in a searchable format. To accomplish this, the RRC has contracted with Neubus Inc. to provide this service. To date, the RRC has made available:
- Oil & Gas Well Records (Potential files)
- Dry Hole Files
- Oil & Gas Well Logs
- Mechanical Integrity Tests (Form H-5)
- Certificate of Compliance, Statewide Rule 36 (Hydrogen Sulfide) (Form H-9)
- Surface Commingling Permits (Form P-17)
- Groundwater Protection Determination Letters
- Pipeline (Form T-4) Permits
- Disposal Permits (Form W-14)
- Injection/Disposal Permits (Forms H-1/H-1A)
- Gas Utility Dockets
- Gas Utility Annual Reports
- Oil and Gas East Texas Historical Hearing Files
- Oil and Gas Hearings Files
- Surface Coal/Lignite Mining Permit Records
To view all files with the exception of the Well Logs, you will need Adobe Acrobat 7.0 or higher. You may download the Adobe Acrobat Reader for free at https://get.adobe.com/reader/. Well logs and other oversized documents are stored and delivered in the TIFF file format, and a TIFF image viewer may be necessary to access these files. Please review the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) page for additional information about TIFF file format and TIFF image viewers.
Individuals who wish to conduct research of the historical material located in Central Records may do so Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8am and 5pm. In-person filings cannot be accepted at Central Records at this time. Also, please note that there are a limited number of machines available to view records located on microfilm and microfiche. Please plan your visit to Central Records accordingly.
Oil & Gas East Texas Historical Hearing Files
The Oil & Gas East Texas Historical Hearing Files are included with the Oil & Gas Hearings Files discussed below. The Commission is able to provide these files for the East Texas region due to a grant from the National Historical Publications and Record Commission. Hearings are conducted at the RRC when operators request exceptions to rules or contest enforcement actions.
Historical Hearing Finding Aid or the Index to the Historical Hearings Files
How to Search for Oil & Gas East Texas Historical Hearings Online
Comments and questions about the Oil and Gas East Texas Historical Hearings application should be sent to records@rrc.texas.gov.
Oil & Gas Hearing Files Not In CASES
Since July 2011, all closed oil and gas hearing files received by Central Records are being imaged and made available online. The files available through this application include docketed hearings, new field discovery files, Statewide Rule 37/38 files, and administrative penalty case files.
How to Search for Oil and Gas Hearings Online
Docket Type Code Reference Table
Comments and questions about the Oil and Gas Hearing Files application should be sent to records@rrc.texas.gov.
Oil & Gas Well Records
Launch Application (Profiles include: Oil & Gas Well Records, P-17, Well Logs )
The Oil and Gas Well Records can be searched by key fields or full text and will include applications to drill, oil and gas completion reports, plugging reports, producer's transportation authority and miscellaneous records from 1964 to present for completed wells. For information on dry hole or other records not available as imaged records, please review the Oil & Gas Well Records page.
Please note: Since February 2011 all oil and gas completion reports are filed online and are available through the Oil & Gas Completion Query application.
To learn more about how to use the Well Records images application, review terms using the Glossary or review the FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions) page.
Comments and questions about the Oil and Gas Well Records application should be sent to records@rrc.texas.gov.
Dry Hole Files
Images of the dry hole records from 2000 to current include the Drilling Permit (form W-1) for wells permitted before May 1, 2005, as well as Plugging Reports (Form W-3), and Directional Surveys when required.(Note: This is an ongoing project and not all files are available for viewing at this time.)
Comments and questions about the Dry Hole Files application should be sent to records@rrc.texas.gov.
Oil & Gas Well Logs
The Railroad Commission began imaging well logs received as a requirement of compliance with 16 TAC §3.16 in July 2004. Well logs may be searched by key fields, including API number, oil or gas field name or number, lease name or number, county, operator name, location information, or date range. An inventory of the well logs added to the database each month is available.
Well logs are stored and delivered in the TIFF file format, and a TIFF image viewer may be necessary to access these files. Please review the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) page for additional information about the TIFF file format and TIFF image viewers.
Well logs received by the Commission prior to July 2004 are available in paper format from the University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology’s Geophysical Log Facility.
Comments and questions about the Well Log application should be sent to records@rrc.texas.gov.
Groundwater Protection Determination Letters
Groundwater Protection Determination Letters are issued by the Groundwater Advisory Unit, formerly the Surface Casing Program area of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. They are also sometimes referred to as "Water Board Letters".
Records are being imaged from hard copies generated by the applicant filling out a quadruplicate form.
Hard copies were created between 2000 and May 2009. These copies are being added as time permits starting with 2009 and working backwards in time to 2000.
Electronic copies of Determination Letters have a digital signature and have been submitted since September 2008. The Groundwater Protection Determination Letters issued since September 2008 through June 5, 2015 are available on the website.
Copies of Groundwater Protection Determination Letters not online for 2000 to 2008 may be obtained by contacting the Groundwater Advisory Unit. Note that records created between 2000 and 2005 are stored at the Texas State Library's Records Center and will require additional time to retrieve.
Groundwater Protection Determination Letters created prior to 2000 are available on microfilm in the RRC Central Records.
Gas Utility Dockets
Closed Gas Utilities Dockets can be found by key fields or full text and includes docket number or applicant name for records from 1920 to present. (Note: Not all Gas Utilities Docket files will be available for viewing at this time)
How to search for Gas Utilities Dockets online
If you have any questions or comments concerning the Gas Utilities Dockets, please call 512-463-7163.
Gas Utility Annual Reports
Investor Owned Intrastate Gas Utility Annual Reports reflect financial information for each calendar year, to include Reconciliation of Gas Utility Tax, Sales, Purchases and Transport For A Fee Revenue. Distribution Annual Reports will include the same along with Operations by Entire Company and Individual Towns or Locations.
Earliest available online reports are calendar year 2004. Subsequent Annual Reports will be updated periodically.
- Distribution Annual Report
- Transmission Annual Report
- Gathering Annual Report
Learn how to search Gas Utility Annual Reports
T-4 Pipeline Permits
Each operator of a pipeline or gathering system, other than a production or flow line that does not leave a lease or an operator excluded under§8.1(b)(4) of this title, relating to General Applicability and Standards, subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission, shall obtain a pipeline permit, to be renewed annually, from the Commission as provided in this rule. See 16 TAC 3.70 for the specific wording of this requirement. All permits are available the day after they are issued.
Learn how to search T-4 Pipeline Permits 
Commingling Reports - Form P-17
The Form P-17 is used when oil and gas operators want to “mix” or commingle the production from more than one lease into the same tank or holding facility. The operator will receive a commingle permit number that is used to report each month on the Form PR the amount of production from all of the leases that went into the tank or holding facility.
Learn how to search Commingling Reports - Form P-17
Surface Coal/Lignite Mining Permit Records
Surface coal/lignite mining operators are required to submit an application for a permit to mine for coal or lignite in Texas. The approval process typically takes about a year, and once approved, the mine may remain permitted for several decades. Surface coal/lignite mining permits are required to be renewed every five years, and are often revised as well. The surface coal/lignite mining permits are divided into the surface coal/lignite mining application and correspondence related to that application, i.e. monitoring data, bond releases, inspections, etc. In addition, a coal/lignite mining permit may contain supplements to the application revising portions of the original application. The majority of the permits are quite voluminous, typical hardcopy applications can range in size from five to forty 3-inch, 3-ring binders, while the respective correspondence may fill multiple 4-drawer file cabinets.
