Relating to wildfire prevention, mitigation, and response at certain wells under the jurisdiction of the Railroad Commission of Texas; authorizing an administrative penalty.
What changed between versions
New inspection requirements mandate that third-party inspectors must verify wildfire safety compliance before well ownership transfers can be approved.
Previous requirements related to public information reporting and general oil and gas facility inspections were removed and replaced with wildfire-specific provisions.
New enforcement provisions allow the commission to terminate electric service for orphaned, inactive, or noncompliant wells and impose administrative penalties up to $10,000 per violation.
New definitions clarify what constitutes a 'well' in the context of wildfire prevention, including wells used for producing oil/gas, injecting fluids, or obtaining geological information.
New timeline requirements specify that inspections must occur 60-150 days before well ownership transfer and remedial actions must be completed within 30 days of inspection reports.