Texas Natural Resources Code

§ 89.044 — RIGHT TO ENTER ON LAND

NR § 89.044Title 3. OIL AND GAS · Part B. CONSERVATION AND REGULATION OF OIL AND GAS · Ch. 89. ABANDONED WELLS · Art. C. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION

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(a)The commission or its employees or agents, the operator, or the nonoperator, on proper identification, may enter the land of another for the purpose of plugging or replugging a well that has not been properly plugged.

(b)A prospective operator who has been authorized under Section 89.047 to conduct a surface inspection of a well, on proper identification, may enter the land of another for the sole purpose of conducting the inspection.

(c)Except as necessary to prevent injury to the public health, a person authorized to enter land under this section may not take an action that would prevent the owner of the surface estate of the land from accessing the land. Acts 1977, 65th Leg., p. 2554, ch. 871, art. I, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1977. Amended by Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 5256, ch. 967, Sec. 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1983; Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 5407, ch. 1002, Sec. 2, eff. Aug. 29, 1983. Amended by:

Legislative history

Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 267 (H.B. 2161), Sec. 3, eff. January 1, 2006. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 754 (H.B. 3619), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2025.