Bill Text: TX HB878 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to the filing with the state of electric logs by operators of oil-related or gas-related wells; providing a penalty.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: (Passed) 2013-06-14 - Effective on 9/1/13 [HB878 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HB878-Enrolled.html
H.B. No. 878 |
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relating to the filing with the state of electric logs by operators | ||
of oil-related or gas-related wells; providing a penalty. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 91.552, Natural Resources Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 91.552. ELECTRIC LOGS REQUIRED TO BE FILED; CRITERIA. | ||
(a) Except as otherwise provided by this subchapter, not later than | ||
the 90th day after the date a drilling operation is completed, the | ||
operator shall file with the commission a copy of each electric log, | ||
including each borehole section of the log at all depths, [ |
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conjunction with the drilling or deepening of the well that meets | ||
basic criteria established by the commission. Each electric log | ||
must be filed with the commission electronically in a manner | ||
acceptable to the commission if the commission has the | ||
technological capability to receive the electronic filing. | ||
(b) The commission by rule shall establish criteria for | ||
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(c) Not later than the deadline prescribed by Subsection (a) | ||
for the filing of each electric log, an operator shall file with the | ||
commission a copy of a cased hole log run after September 1, 2013, | ||
in conjunction with the drilling or deepening of a well in lieu of | ||
an electric log run after that date if: | ||
(1) a cased hole log was run; and | ||
(2) an electric log was not run. | ||
(d) Nothing in this subchapter requires an operator to run | ||
an electric log in conjunction with the drilling or deepening of a | ||
well. | ||
SECTION 2. Sections 91.553(b), (e), and (f), Natural | ||
Resources Code, are amended to read as follows: | ||
(b) Not later than the date by which an electric log is | ||
required to be filed with the commission under Section 91.552, the | ||
operator may file a written request with the commission asking that | ||
the electric log remain confidential and not be made available as | ||
public information. On filing this request, the electric log or | ||
copy of the electric log required to be filed with the commission | ||
may be retained by the operator, and the electric log may remain in | ||
the possession of the operator for the period of confidentiality | ||
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confidentiality, the electric log becomes confidential and remains | ||
confidential for a period of: | ||
(1) three years [ |
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drilling operation was completed, if the well is an onshore well; or | ||
(2) five years after the date that the drilling | ||
operation was completed, if the well is a bay or offshore well. | ||
(e) An operator required to file an electric log under this | ||
section who has held the log during a period of confidentiality [ |
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commission within 30 days after the conclusion of the period of | ||
confidentiality [ |
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(f) An operator who fails to timely file with the commission | ||
a written request under Subsection (b) that an electric log remain | ||
confidential and not be made available as public information [ |
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immediately after the conclusion of the period for filing the | ||
request. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 91.556, Natural Resources Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 91.556. ENFORCEMENT [ |
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operator fails to file an electric log as required by this | ||
subchapter, the commission may: | ||
(1) if the well is completed as a producing well, | ||
refuse to assign an allowable or a change in allowable for | ||
production from the well for which the electric log is required | ||
until the operator files the electric log with the commission; or | ||
(2) impose an administrative penalty on the operator | ||
in the manner provided by Sections 81.0531-81.0534 for each well | ||
for which the operator failed to file an electric log. | ||
SECTION 4. Section 552.113(c)(2), Government Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
(2) "Electric [ |
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meaning as it has in Chapter 91, Natural Resources Code. | ||
SECTION 5. Sections 552.113(d), (e), and (f), Government | ||
Code, are amended to read as follows: | ||
(d) Confidential material, except [ |
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filed in the General Land Office on or after September 1, 1985, is | ||
public information and is available to the public under Section | ||
552.021 on and after the later of: | ||
(1) five years from the filing date of the | ||
confidential material; or | ||
(2) one year from the expiration, termination, or | ||
forfeiture of the lease in connection with which the confidential | ||
material was filed. | ||
(e) Electric [ |
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Office on or after September 1, 1985, are either public information | ||
or confidential material to the same extent and for the same periods | ||
provided for the same logs by Chapter 91, Natural Resources Code. A | ||
person may request that an [ |
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filed in the General Land Office be made confidential by filing with | ||
the land office a copy of the written request for confidentiality | ||
made to the Railroad Commission of Texas for the same log. | ||
(f) The following are public information: | ||
(1) [ |
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Office before September 1, 1985; and | ||
(2) confidential material, except [ |
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logs, filed in the General Land Office before September 1, 1985, | ||
provided, that Subsection (d) governs the disclosure of that | ||
confidential material filed in connection with a lease that is a | ||
valid and subsisting lease on September 1, 1995. | ||
SECTION 6. Sections 91.553(c) and (d), Natural Resources | ||
Code, are repealed. | ||
SECTION 7. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to | ||
a drilling operation that is completed on or after the effective | ||
date of this Act. A drilling operation that is completed before the | ||
effective date of this Act is subject to the law in effect on the | ||
date of completion, and that law is continued in effect for that | ||
purpose. | ||
SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I certify that H.B. No. 878 was passed by the House on April | ||
18, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 0, 2 present, not | ||
voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
I certify that H.B. No. 878 was passed by the Senate on May | ||
15, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
APPROVED: _____________________ | ||
Date | ||
_____________________ | ||
Governor |