By Chairman Christi Craddick
Railroad Commission of Texas
Recent media reports from West Texas have regurgitated false claims that there is a widespread epidemic of previously plugged oil and gas wells leaking across Texas. That could not be further from the truth. Protecting your safety and the environment is the Railroad Commission’s critical mission, and it’s one that we take very seriously.
The RRC has plugged more than 46,000 orphaned wells since our State Managed Plugging program began in 1984, and our expertise in the field is world renowned. Once a well becomes orphaned, the Commission closely monitors and evaluates it for potential hazards. We utilize a prioritization system, that has been copied by other states, that ensures that high-risk, high-priority wells are plugged first. Our well plugging rules have existed for decades and have been designed to ensure groundwater is protected.
When the RRC and its contractor plug an orphaned well, an inspector is on location throughout the entire operation to ensure the well is plugged properly. Our inspectors are highly qualified professionals whose primary concern is protecting the environment and fresh water in the very communities they live in.
Beyond that monitoring, landowners can contact the Commission at any time if there is an oil or gas related issue on their property. Reports of previously plugged wells leaking have been minimal and do not support assertions made by others that there is a widespread issue due to failing cement plugs.
We also acknowledge that a booming energy industry will face new challenges over time, and we are fully committed to addressing these situations. For example, we are currently examining subsurface pressure in West Texas. We are engaging with operators in the Crane County area, reviewing geological data, analyzing satellite imagery and assessing RRC records related to well completions and plugging. The Commission and the industry will always find ways to collaborate to protect your safety.
Finally, I want to highlight that the Railroad Commission’s expertise in well plugging has consistently helped us maintain a successful track record in plugging goals set by the Legislature. We have plugged more than a thousand wells this fiscal year with state funds, exceeding our goals for the eighth straight fiscal year! We are very proud of this accomplishment.
Elected officials set high standards for us because they expect the best from us and we know that you, our neighbors, expect the same. We will not waver in our duty to serve Texans.
