By: Earley H.B. No. 1523
73R5383 SMH-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the filing of electric logs with the Railroad
1-3 Commission of Texas.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 91.552(a), Natural Resources Code, is
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 (a) Except as otherwise provided by this subchapter, at the
1-8 time a person files with the commission a completion report for a
1-9 well or, in the case of a dry hole, an application to plug a well,
1-10 the person shall also file with the commission a copy of each <a>
1-11 basic electric log made by or on behalf of the person after
1-12 September 1, 1985, in conjunction with the drilling of the well
1-13 that meets basic criteria established by the commission.
1-14 SECTION 2. Section 91.553(b), Natural Resources Code, is
1-15 amended to read as follows:
1-16 (b) At the time an electric log is <required to be> filed
1-17 with the commission under Section 91.552 of this code, the person
1-18 filing <required to file> the electric log may file a written
1-19 request with the commission asking that the electric log remain
1-20 confidential and not be made available as public information. <On
1-21 filing this request, the electric log or copy of the electric log
1-22 required to be filed with the commission may be retained by the
1-23 person required to file the electric log, and the electric log may
1-24 remain in the possession of the person for the period of
2-1 confidentiality and any extensions of that period.> On filing of
2-2 the request for confidentiality, the electric log becomes
2-3 confidential and remains confidential for a period of one year
2-4 after the date that the electric log is <required to be> filed with
2-5 the commission.
2-6 SECTION 3. Section 91.554, Natural Resources Code, is
2-7 amended to read as follows:
2-8 Sec. 91.554. Availability of Confidential Electric Logs.
2-9 The <If the commission requires an electric log to be filed before
2-10 the expiration of a period of confidentiality, the> commission
2-11 shall make a confidential <that> electric log available for
2-12 inspection during the period of confidentiality only to:
2-13 (1) a person authorized in writing by the person who
2-14 filed the electric log with the commission; and
2-15 (2) members of the commission and its employees in the
2-16 exercise of their powers and duties under this code.
2-17 SECTION 4. Sections 91.553(c), (d), and (e) are repealed.
2-18 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993, and
2-19 applies only to completion reports and applications to plug wells
2-20 filed with the Railroad Commission of Texas on or after that date.
2-21 Completion reports and applications to plug wells filed before the
2-22 effective date of this Act are governed by the law under which they
2-23 were filed, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
2-24 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
2-25 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-26 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-27 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.