News

January

• Christian Calls on TCEQ to Stop Biden’s Methane Rule Roll Out in Texas

  January 14, 2025
  

  AUSTIN – This week the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is accepting final comments on pending rulemaking (Rule Project Number 2024-027-113-AI) to establish new methane requirements for oil and natural gas operations in Texas.

  This state rule implementation is required by federal law under the Biden administration and imposes undue burdens on U.S. oil and gas operators, especially small producers who lack the resources of multinational corporations. These rules are part of a larger agenda that threatens not only the state’s energy independence but also the livelihood of numerous Texans who rely on this industry.

  As a state leader overseeing the oil and gas industry, Texas Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian sent a letter to the TCEQ commissioners with concerns and a request to halt implementation of the Biden rule.

  “The Biden administration has taken over 250 actions to end oil and gas production, and this new methane rule is one of the many aimed at stifling large producing states like Texas,” said Commissioner Wayne Christian. “The real victim of President Biden’s methane rule won’t be ‘Big Oil’ – which is why many of them haven’t opposed this rule – it will be the small and independent producers. EPA’s stringent methane regulations impose significant compliance costs and operational burdens that many smaller producers will find insurmountable, while doing little to reduce emissions. Simply put: this rule will shut down tens of thousands of Texas wells, folks.”

  “Elections have consequences, and the American people decided that the Biden administration’s energy and environmental agenda aren’t in their best interest,” Commissioner Christian continued. “President-elect Donald Trump once rescinded this Obama-era rule and Biden revived it. The fate of these punitive rules on producers is far from over; and as such, I would advise caution and patience in any state administration of this federal overreach. Relief from Washington bureaucrats in the DC swamp is on the way; let’s wait for the cavalry to arrive before surrendering.”

  You can read the letter here.

  Background:

  Since 2021, Commissioner Wayne Christian has been a vocal opponent against President Biden’s EPA methane rule. In 2023, when EPA finalized their rule, Commissioner Christian continued to warn of the dangers the rule would have to independent producers and America’s energy security. In 2024, Christian highlighted an EPA report that demonstrated that methane emissions had plummeted in the nation’s highest producing regions, revealing that the true motive behind Biden’s policies was to end the oil and gas industry. Additionally in 2024, the three Texas Railroad Commissioners voted to instruct the Texas Attorney General’s office to challenge the rule in court.

  A lifelong conservative businessman, Wayne Christian was elected as our 50th Texas Railroad Commissioner in November 2016. Prior to his time at the Commission, Christian served seven sessions in the Texas House of Representatives, accumulating a strong record of standing for free markets and against burdensome regulations. Christian is married to his wife, Lisa, and together they have three daughters, Liza, Lindsey and Lauren. You can learn more about Chairman Christian here.

• Texas Oil and Gas Production Statistics for October 2024

  January 13, 2025
  

  Statewide and county crude oil and natural gas production for October 2024 reported in the tables below came from 159,986 oil wells and 83,497 gas wells.

  Crude oil production reported by the RRC is limited to oil produced from oil leases and does not include condensate, which is reported separately by the RRC. For full oil and gas production statistics, you can visit the links below.

  Statewide totals: https://www.rrc.texas.gov/oil-and-gas/research-and-statistics/production-data/texas-monthly-oil-gas-production/

  County rankings: https://www.rrc.texas.gov/oil-and-gas/research-and-statistics/production-data/texas-monthly-oil-gas-production-by-county-ranking/

  
  TABLE 1 - October 2024 STATEWIDE PRODUCTION*

  PRODUCT	PRELIMINARY REPORTED TOTAL VOLUME	AVERAGE DAILY PRODUCTION
  Crude Oil	122,145,230 BBLS (barrels)	3,940,168 BBLS
  Natural Gas	898,859,331 mcf (thousand cubic feet)	28,995,462 mcf

  * These are preliminary figures based on production volumes reported by operators and will be updated as late and corrected production reports are received.

  TABLE 2 - October 2023 STATEWIDE PRODUCTION

  PRODUCT	UPDATED REPORTED TOTAL VOLUME	PRELIMINARY REPORTED TOTAL VOLUME
  Crude Oil	142,554,792 BBLS	114,547,597 BBLS
  Natural Gas	1,062,326,913 mcf	893,803,295 mcf

   

  TABLE 3 – October 2024 TEXAS TOP TEN CRUDE OIL PRODUCING COUNTIES RANKED BY PRELIMINARY PRODUCTION

  RANK	COUNTY	CRUDE OIL (BBLS)
  1.	MARTIN	18,736,747
  2.	MIDLAND	18,219,038
  3.	UPTON	8,418,897
  4.	LOVING	7,292,931
  5.	REAGAN	6,094,728
  6.	KARNES	5,691,494
  7.	HOWARD	5,674,358
  8.	ANDREWS	4,612,781
  9.	ECTOR	4,584,028
  10.	REEVES	4,427,582

  TABLE 4 – October 2024 TEXAS TOP TEN TOTAL GAS (GAS WELL GAS & CASINGHEAD) PRODUCING COUNTIES RANKED BY PRELIMINARY PRODUCTION

  RANK	COUNTY	TOTAL GAS (MCF)
  1.	REEVES	85,847,976
  2.	MIDLAND	81,742,992
  3.	MARTIN	56,335,230
  4.	WEBB	53,719,532
  5.	LOVING	47,304,064
  6.	CULBERSON	38,941,193
  7.	UPTON	37,051,445
  8.	REAGAN	36,373,954
  9.	PANOLA	28,221,873
  10.	HARRISON	28,214,657

   

   

  TABLE 5 – October 2024 TEXAS TOP TEN TOTAL CONDENSATE PRODUCING COUNTIES RANKED BY PRELIMINARY PRODUCTION

  RANK	COUNTY	CONDENSATE (BBLS)
  1.	REEVES	6,837,294
  2.	LOVING	4,728,693
  3.	CULBERSON	3,182,980
  4.	DE WITT	1,572,783
  5.	KARNES	1,317,898
  6.	WEBB	1,182,754
  7.	LIVE OAK	855,356
  8.	LA SALLE	491,451
  9.	WARD	477,060
  10.	MCMULLEN	274,015

   

• RRC Preparations for Winter 2025

  January 06, 2025
  

  AUSTIN – For more than a month the Railroad Commission of Texas has taken important steps to help ensure adequate natural gas supply for winter weather, including this week’s wintry conditions. Starting in the first week of December, RRC’s Critical Infrastructure Division (CID) began weatherization inspections of critical natural gas facilities in the state’s electricity supply chain.

  CID has conducted more than 1,200 inspections, including all of what are known as Tier One facilities which are major components of gas supply – oil and gas leases that produce more than 5 million cubic feet of gas per day, gas processing plants, underground gas storage facilities, and natural gas pipelines that directly connect to electricity generation plants.  

  Natural gas that is stored underground is also an important resource that can be withdrawn and utilized during weather emergencies. There was 522.4 billion cubic feet of working natural gas in underground storage in Texas as of the end of November 2024, which is the highest monthly total in the 25 years the RRC has tracked storage volumes.

  “As we have done in past cycles, we will continue to stay on top of bad winter weather with inspections and calls with oil and gas operators,” said Danny Sorrells, RRC Deputy Executive Director. “We take every step we can to make sure gas flows to power plants and for home heating, and we want to reassure Texans that the agency takes an all-hands-on deck approach to protect residents in weather emergencies.”

  The RRC’s winter weatherization inspections of critical natural gas facilities last through the end of March.

• Texas Drilling Permit and Completion Statistics for December 2024

  January 03, 2025
  

  AUSTIN – The Railroad Commission of Texas issued a total of 630 original drilling permits in December 2024. The total includes 580 to drill new oil or gas wells, 13 to re-enter plugged wellbores, 5 field transfers, and 32 for re-completions.

  The breakdown of well types for total original drilling permits in December 2024 is: 126 oil, 44 gas, 445 oil and gas, 10 injection, 1 service and 4 other permits.

  In December 2024, Commission staff processed 1,431 oil, 248 gas, and 670 injection completions.

  Detailed data on drilling permits and well completions for the month can be found at this link:

  https://www.rrc.texas.gov/oil-and-gas/research-and-statistics/drilling-information/monthly-drilling-completion-and-plugging-summaries/

  TABLE 1 – DECEMBER 2024 TEXAS OIL AND GAS NEW DRILLING PERMITS AND COMPLETIONS BY RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS DISTRICT*

  DISTRICT	PERMITS TO DRILL NEW OIL/GAS HOLES	NEW OIL COMPLETIONS	NEW GAS COMPLETIONS
  (1) SAN ANTONIO AREA	68	45	30
  (2) REFUGIO AREA	65	20	24
  (3) SOUTHEAST TEXAS	11	5	14
  (4) DEEP SOUTH TEXAS	6	0	9
  (5) EAST CENTRAL TX	5	0	3
  (6) EAST TEXAS	26	8	27
  (7B) WEST CENTRAL TX	7	3	0
  (7C) SAN ANGELO AREA	43	68	0
  (8) MIDLAND	304	459	41
  (8A) LUBBOCK AREA	14	21	0
  (9) NORTH TEXAS	26	23	9
  (10) PANHANDLE	3	0	0
  TOTAL	580	652	157