TO: | Honorable Jim Keffer, Chair, House Committee On Energy Resources |
FROM: | Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
IN RE: | HB100 by Taylor, Van (Relating to unit operations for oil, gas, or oil and gas production or carbon dioxide storage.), As Introduced |
Fiscal Year | Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds |
---|---|
2014 | $0 |
2015 | $0 |
2016 | $0 |
2017 | $0 |
2018 | $0 |
Fiscal Year | Probable Savings/(Cost) from Oil & Gas Regulation 5155 |
Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from Oil & Gas Regulation 5155 |
---|---|---|
2014 | ($330,867) | $330,867 |
2015 | ($330,867) | $330,867 |
2016 | ($330,867) | $330,867 |
2017 | ($330,867) | $330,867 |
2018 | ($330,867) | $330,867 |
Fiscal Year | Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2013 |
---|---|
2014 | 2.0 |
2015 | 2.0 |
2016 | 2.0 |
2017 | 2.0 |
2018 | 2.0 |
This estimate assumes that the Railroad Commission would be required to conduct additional hearings requested for mandatory unitization for enhanced recovery and carbon sequestration. Although the number of such hearings that would be required is unknown, this estimate assumes there would be an average of 25 such hearings per fiscal year.
The Railroad Commission reports that the agency would need 2.0 FTEs, an attorney examiner and an engineer technical examiner, to hear and process these additional cases. This would result in an increase in costs of $218,367 for salaries, benefits and related operating costs.
In addition, it is expected that the Railroad Commission would incur costs in providing notice of hearing to all working interest, royalty interest, unleased mineral interests and (for sequestration) surface interest owners within and adjacent to areas proposed for unitization. This estimate assumes there would be an average of 500 such interest owners in and around each proposed unit. Assuming a mailing cost of $5.00 per person, which would include creating, printing, researching the names and addresses of landowners affected, and postage, the average mailing costs would be $2,500 per application. In addition, the bill would require publishing notice four times in a newspaper of general circulation. This estimate assumes the four notices would cost an average of $2,000 per application. Mailing and publication costs thus are estimated at $125,000 per fiscal year.
This estimate assumes that the Railroad Commission would assess fees sufficient to cover costs incurred in implementing Chapter 104 of the Natural Resources Code, as authorized by the bill. It is also assumed that fees collected to implement the provisions of the bill would be deposited to the General Revenue-Dedicated Oil and Gas Regulatory and Cleanup Account No. 5155, and that the agency would receive appropriations out of the account equal to revenue collections.
Because the bill provides for the Railroad Commission's costs to be recovered through the assessment of fees to implement the newly-created chapter in the Natural Resources Code, the net impact of the bill is expected to be cost-neutral to the state.
Source Agencies: | 305 General Land Office and Veterans' Land Board, 455 Railroad Commission
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LBB Staff: | UP, SZ, ZS, TL
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