(WO) – The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) assessed more than $1.27 million in enforcement fines against oil and gas operators and related businesses during its latest open meeting, reinforcing compliance requirements across the state’s energy sector.
The Commission issued a total of $1,277,320 in penalties through a combination of master default and agreed orders tied to violations of state regulations governing oil and gas operations and intrastate pipeline safety. Default orders—issued when operators fail to appear at enforcement proceedings—accounted for $367,882 of the total, while agreed orders requiring operators to come into compliance with Commission rules totaled $909,438.
The RRC serves as the primary regulator for Texas’ oil and gas industry, overseeing drilling, production, pipeline safety and certain alternative fuels and mining activities. Enforcement actions are a core component of the agency’s mandate to ensure safe operations, environmental stewardship and regulatory compliance across the state’s energy infrastructure.
Unless operators file timely motions for rehearing, the enforcement decisions become final under Commission rules.
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