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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the regulation by the Railroad Commission of Texas of |
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certain pits used for the storage and disposal of oil and gas waste. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 91, Natural Resources |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 91.119 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 91.119. REGULATIONS REGARDING RESERVE AND MUD |
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CIRCULATION PITS. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Mud circulation pit" means a pit used in |
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conjunction with a drilling rig for the storage of drilling fluid |
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being used in drilling operations. |
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(2) "Reserve pit" means a pit used in conjunction with |
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a drilling rig for collecting: |
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(A) spent drilling fluids; |
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(B) cuttings, sand, and silt; or |
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(C) wash water used for cleaning drill pipe and |
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other equipment at the well site. |
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(b) The commission shall adopt rules regarding the use of |
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reserve pits and mud circulation pits. The rules must establish: |
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(1) minimum siting standards for reserve pits and mud |
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circulation pits; |
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(2) uniform technical, construction, sampling, and |
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closure standards for reserve pits and mud circulation pits; |
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(3) minimum and maximum bonding and financial security |
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requirements for a person using a reserve pit for the permanent |
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burial of oil and gas waste; |
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(4) groundwater monitoring standards for reserve pits |
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and mud circulation pits; and |
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(5) standards for providing notice to and receiving |
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permission from a landowner for the permanent burial of the oil and |
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gas waste, including providing notice to the landowner of the type |
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and volume of oil and gas waste to be buried in the reserve pit or |
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mud circulation pit. |
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(c) The standards established under Subsections (b)(1)-(4) |
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must be consistent with analogous standards established by the |
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commission for produced water recycling pits. |
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(d) Not later than 30 days after the closure of a reserve pit |
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or mud circulation pit used for the permanent burial of oil and gas |
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waste, the operator must send a written notice of the burial of the |
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oil and gas waste to the county clerk of the county in which the pit |
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is located. The written notice must include a legal description of |
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the location of the pit and the type and volume of oil and gas waste |
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in the pit. After receiving notice of the oil and gas waste burial, |
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the county clerk shall record the notice at no charge in the |
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official public records of the county. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |