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Houston Chronicle Endorses RRC Libertarian Candidate Mark Miller

From Texas Tribune: A major metro paper endorses a third-party statewide candidate… The Houston Chronicle has endorsed Libertarian Mark Miller in the race to replace David Porter on the three-member Texas Railroad Commission. “Our editorial board interviews scores of candidates for political office every election year, but seldom do we…

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Another Oklahoma Earthquake Causes Shut-down of 54 Disposal Wells

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency have ordered the shut-in of 54 disposal wells in Osage County, Oklahoma, after a magnitude 5.6 earthquake on Saturday, September 3. The wells are in an oval with a 10-mile radius around the center of the quake, a 211-mile area (click…

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EPA Grades Railroad Commission on Regulation of Injection Wells

The EPA has issued a report evaluating the Texas Railroad Commission’s regulation of injection wells: EPAreviewRRC The report criticizes the RRC in three areas, discussed below. Injection wells, permitted by the RRC, are used to dispose of oilfield waste – produced water, frac water, and other fluids. These liquid wastes…

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More on Railroad Commission Sunset Review

Public Citizen Texas, an environmental watchdog group, has issued its comments on the Sunset Commission’s report recommending changes at the Texas Railroad Commission. Its comments can be viewed here. The comments largely agree with the Sunset Commission’s recommendations, but in several areas recommend additional reforms. I think Public Citizen’s comments…

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Public Hearing Set to Hear Comments Concerning Sunset Report on Texas Railroad Commission

The Sunset Commission has scheduled a public hearing August 22, 2016 to hear comments on its staff report on the Texas Railroad Commission.  I have written previously about the staff report here, here and here. Information about the scheduled hearing can be found here. The staff’s report on the RRC…

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Chesapeake Exits Barnett Shale

Chesapeake Energy announced last week that it is selling (giving away?) all of its interest in the Barnett Shale to Saddle Barnett Resources, LLC, a company backed by First Reserve. First Reserve is a global private equity investment firm. The Barnett Shale is the birthplace of the shale revolution in…

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Another Chesapeake Royalty Suit: Addax Minerals Fund v. Chesapeake, No. DC-16-07867, Dallas County

Yet another suit alleging underpayment of royalties has been filed against Chesapeake in the Barnett Shale. The petition can be viewed here: Addax v. Chesapeake Among the long list of plaintiffs is Kimbell Art Foundation. The petition alleges that plaintiffs are lessors under more than 8,000 leases in 280 pooled…

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