| 1 | 1 | | 84R6628 JXC-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Romero, Jr. H.B. No. 2236 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the requirements for the casing and cementing of an oil |
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| 8 | 8 | | or gas well. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 91.011, Natural Resources Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to |
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| 12 | 12 | | read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (a) Before drilling into the oil or gas bearing rock, the |
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| 14 | 14 | | owner or operator of a well being drilled for oil or gas shall |
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| 15 | 15 | | encase the well with good and sufficient wrought iron or steel |
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| 16 | 16 | | casing, or with any other material that meets standards adopted by |
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| 17 | 17 | | the commission, and cement the casing, particularly where wells |
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| 18 | 18 | | could be subjected to corrosive elements or high pressures and |
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| 19 | 19 | | temperatures, in a manner and to a depth that will exclude surface |
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| 20 | 20 | | or fresh water from the lower part of the well from penetrating the |
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| 21 | 21 | | oil or gas bearing rock, and if the well is drilled through the |
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| 22 | 22 | | first into the lower oil or gas bearing rock, the well shall be |
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| 23 | 23 | | encased and cemented [cased] in a manner and to a depth that will |
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| 24 | 24 | | exclude fresh water above the last oil or gas bearing rock |
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| 25 | 25 | | penetrated. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (a-1) A well drilled for oil or gas shall be encased with a |
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| 27 | 27 | | casing that is cemented to a depth of at least 50 feet below the base |
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| 28 | 28 | | of the deepest formation transected by the well that contains water |
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| 29 | 29 | | that is suitable as a source of drinking water supply. |
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| 30 | 30 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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