RRC Assesses More than $11 Million in Fines in 2017

Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas The Railroad Commission of Texas assessed $11077280 in fines on 3567 enforcement dockets involving the states oil and gas industry and intrastate pipeline safety for calendar year 2017. These include:

• $337721 in fines assessed in oil and gas protested dockets that went to hearing;
• $3980880 in penalties for Master Default Orders;
• $2690765 in fines for Master Agreed Orders and;
• $4067914 for Pipeline Damage Prevention penalties.

Totals include the Commissions final enforcement actions for 2017 taken Tuesday during the last Commissioners conference of the year. On Tuesday the RRC assessed $943217 in fines involving 158 enforcement dockets against operators and businesses. Operators were assessed $769710 after failing to appear at Commission enforcement proceedings. Details on these Master Default Orders can be found here. Additionally for December 2017 operators were ordered to come into compliance with Commission rules and assessed $40257 for oil and gas LP-Gas and pipeline safety rule violations. Pipeline operators and excavators were assessed $133250 for violations of the Commissions Pipeline Damage Prevention rules. Details on all these Master Agreed Orders can be found here. In the absence of timely motions for rehearing decisions are final as stated in these final orders.