RRC Enforcement Actions Taken at Commissioners Conference

Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas   The Railroad Commission of Texas assessed $556237 in fines involving 180 enforcement dockets against operators and businesses at the Commissioners conference earlier this week. The Commission has primary oversight and enforcement of the states oil and gas industry and intrastate pipeline safety. Operators were assessed $294775 after failing to appear at Commission enforcement proceedings. Details on these Master Default Orders can be found here. Operators were ordered to come into compliance with Commission rules and assessed $49212 for oil and gas and LP-Gas rule violations. Pipeline operators and excavators were assessed $212250 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. For calendar year 2016 the Commission assessed a total of $8651857 in fines on 3893 enforcement dockets. These include $416033 in fines assessed in oil and gas protested dockets that went to hearing; $2345711 in penalties for Master Default Orders; $1305413 in fines for Master Agreed Orders and $4584700 for Pipeline Damage Prevention penalties.