oil & gas industry regulatory jurisdictions gaye greever mcelwainann marie callery

RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS

OIL & GAS INDUSTRYREGULATORY JURISDICTIONS

Gaye Greever McElwain Ann Marie CalleryRRC Public Outreach TCEQ Small Business

Environmental Assistance Division

OverviewThis presentation is intended to:

•Provide information on the jurisdictions of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the Railroad Commission of Texas

•Clarify which state agency(s) has jurisdiction over what aspect of oil & gas exploration and production activities

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RRC Mission

Our mission statement is to serve Texas by our stewardship of natural resources and the environment, our concern for personal and community safety, and our support of enhanced development and economic vitality

for the benefit of Texans.

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RRC Main FunctionsThe Commission’s main functions are to:

•Protect the environment, public safety and correlative rights of mineral interest owners;

•Prevent waste of natural resources and promote conservation;

•Assure fair and equitable utility rates in natural gas distribution industries.

Applicable to oil, gas and geothermal operations

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The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality strives to protect our state's human

and natural resources consistent with sustainable economic development.

TCEQ Mission

TCEQ Main Functions

Clean Air

Clean Water

Safe Management of Waste

JurisdictionWho regulates oil & gas activity in Texas?

The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) has PRIMARY regulatory

authority over the oil & gas (O&G) industry.

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JurisdictionWho regulates oil & gas activity in Texas?

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is the environmental agency for the state

and does have some regulatory responsibility.

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Memorandum of Understanding

•Codified in RRC Rules• 16 TAC 3.30

•Jurisdictional agreement between TCEQ & RRC

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ComplaintsWho handles complaints?

In general, complaints for O&G exploration, production, and

transportation should be directed to the RRC.

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Who Handles Complaints?

• Nuisance Odors – TCEQ

• Noise Complaints – local law enforcement

• Dust from Public Roads – local gov’t

• Traffic Complaints – local law enforcement

ComplaintsWho handles complaints?

•Water Quality Discharges - RRC

•Private water wells – RRC• suspected contamination

•Public drinking water - TCEQ

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ComplaintsHow to report a complaint:

•TCEQ–888-777-3186–http://www2.tceq.texas.gov/oce/complaints/index.cfm

ComplaintsHow to report a complaint:

•RRC• 877-228-5740

• http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/compliance/complaints/index.php

• Appropriate District Office

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RRC District OfficesServe as the eyes and ears of RRC regulatory efforts

•Contact with complaints

•On call 24/7 to respond to emergencies

•Ensure oil and gas activities done in accordance with RRC rules & regulations

•Jurisdiction over specific counties

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SpillsWho handles spills?

•What is spilled

•How much is spilled

•Where it is spilled

•Determines who is responsible

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SpillsWho handles spills?

•Spills that occur at oil and gas drilling, exploration, development or production sites

•Spills from RRC permitted O&G waste haulers on public roadways

•Spills related to the transportation of crude and natural gas by pipeline.

RRC

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SpillsWho handles spills?

•Spills of hazardous substances, including refined petroleum products from pipelines or over roadways

•Spills associated with transportation of crude oil and natural gas, including natural gas liquids, by railcar, tank truck, barge, or tanker

TCEQ

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SpillsWho handles spills?

•General Land Office• Crude oil that threatens to enter coastal water ways.

•Texas Parks and Wildlife• Impacts to fish and wildlife

•The Texas Department of Public Safety may be involved in securing incident sites at transportation related spills.

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AirWho regulates air?

•Flaring and venting of natural gas • From the perspective of it being a “waste of natural

resources”

RRC

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AirWho regulates air?

•72 hours after the well test – start of production

•For non well tested sites, the date equipment is brought on-site

TCEQ

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WaterWho regulates water?

•Wastewater at the drilling rig or disposal well site

•Discharge of oil and gas waste to surface waters of the state – EPA-R6

• Authorization required from BOTH RRC and EPA-R6

•Typically RRC does not issue storm water discharge permits, but there are exceptions

RRC

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WaterWho regulates water?

•Wastewater & storm water from commercial service companies

•Public Drinking Water and Surface Water Rights

TCEQ

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WaterOn-site Sewage Facilities (OSSF) & Graywater:

•Temporary housing located on the lease

•In proximity of the drilling or disposal site

RRC

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WaterOn-site Sewage Facilities (OSSF)

•Temporary housing located on the lease

•Elsewhere on the lease

TCEQ or

Authorized Agent

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WaterGraywater

•Temporary housing located on the lease

•Elsewhere on the lease

TCEQ

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WasteWho regulates waste?

•Waste generated on-site at the lease specific to the exploration, drilling or production

RRC

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WasteWho regulates waste?

•Residential-like garbage generated anywhere on the lease from living activities/office trailers

TCEQ

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County Authority

Counties have the ability to enforce the Texas Health &

Safety Code (THSC) in unincorporated areas of the

county.

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Questions?

Contact TCEQ

• Small Business Environmental Assistance

– Hotline – 800-447-2827– Email – sbap@tceq.texas.gov

Anne Marie Callery

Small Business Environmental Assistance Division

512-239-2342annemarie.callery@tceq.texas.gov

Contact Information

•Railroad Commission– Leslie Savage, Chief Geologist

– leslie.savage@rrc.state.tx.us– 512/463-7308

– Ramon Fernandez, Oil & Gas Division, Deputy Director, Field Operations– ramon.fernandez@rrc.state.tx.us– 512/463-6827

– Gaye Greever McElwain, Public Outreach– gaye.mcelwain@rrc.state.tx.us– 512/463-5126

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