Texas Natural Resources Code

§ 89.011 — DUTY OF OPERATOR

NR § 89.011Title 3. OIL AND GAS · Part B. CONSERVATION AND REGULATION OF OIL AND GAS · Ch. 89. ABANDONED WELLS · Art. B. DUTY TO PLUG WELLS

Statute text

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(a)The operator of a well shall properly plug the well when required and in accordance with the commission's rules that are in effect at the time of the plugging.

(b)If useable quality water zones are present, the operator shall verify the placement of the plug at the base of the deepest fresh water zone required to be protected. The well is considered to have been properly plugged only when the verification is satisfactory and meets commission requirements.

(c)If, for the use of the surface owner, the operator of the well plugs the well back to produced fresh water, the duty of the operator to properly plug the well ends only when:

(1)the well has been properly plugged in accordance with commission requirements; and

(2)the surface owner has obtained a permit for the well from the groundwater conservation district, if applicable.

(d)Subsections (b) and (c) apply only to wells plugged on or after the effective date of this Act.

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Legislative history

Acts 1977, 65th Leg., p. 2553, ch. 871, art. I, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1977. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 882, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 89, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1233, Sec. 12, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.