Senate Bill 1150 | Effective: See below |
Senate Author: Middleton et al. | Senate Committee: Natural Resources |
House Sponsor: Geren et al. | House Committee: Energy Resources |
Senate Bill 1150 amends the Natural Resources Code to authorize the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) to grant, under certain conditions, an extension of the deadline for plugging a well that has been inactive for more than 15 years and was completed more than 25 years before the date the operator submits an extension request. Among other provisions, the bill does the following:
- requires the RRC to establish an administrative penalty for a violation of provisions relating to the extension of a deadline for the plugging of an inactive well;
- requires the RRC to produce and deliver to the governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature an annual report relating to inactive wells;
- for each inactive well for which 15 years have elapsed from the date on which the relevant well completion report was filed with the RRC, requires an operator to submit an annual report to the RRC with information regarding the results of a successful fluid level test or hydraulic pressure test of the well conducted in accordance with RRC rules; and
- requires the RRC to adopt rules as necessary to regulate and monitor inactive wells.
Except as otherwise provided by the bill, the bill takes effect September 1, 2025.