(a) Except as provided by § 89.023, on or before the date the operator is required to renew the operator’s organization report required by § 91.142, an operator of an inactive well must plug the well in accordance with statutes and commission rules in effect at the time of plugging.
(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a person who assumes responsibility for the physical operation and control of an existing inactive well must satisfy the requirements of Sections 89.023(a)(1) and (3) not later than six months after the date the commission approves the initial form described by § 89.002(a)(2) and filed with the commission under which the person assumes responsibility for the well.

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Terms Used In Texas Natural Resources Code 89.022

  • Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
  • Written: includes any representation of words, letters, symbols, or figures. See Texas Government Code 311.005

(c) The commission may not renew or approve the organization report required by § 91.142 for an operator that fails to comply with the requirements of this subchapter.
(d) Before the commission issues an order refusing to renew an operator’s organization report under Subsection (c), an authorized commission employee or a person designated by the commission for that purpose must determine whether the operator has failed to comply with the requirements of this subchapter. If the authorized commission employee or designated person determines that the organization report does not qualify for renewal on that ground, the authorized commission employee or designated person must:
(1) notify the operator of the determination;
(2) provide the operator with a written statement of the reasons the organization report does not qualify for renewal; and
(3) notify the operator that the operator has 90 days to comply with the requirements of this subchapter.
(e) After the expiration of the period specified by Subsection (d)(3), the authorized commission employee or designated person shall determine whether the organization report qualifies for renewal and notify the operator of the determination. If the authorized commission employee or designated person determines that the organization report does not qualify for renewal because the operator has continued to fail to comply with the requirements of this subchapter, the operator, not later than the 30th day after the date of the determination, may request a hearing regarding the determination. The operator shall pay the costs associated with a hearing requested under this subsection.
(f) If the commission determines following the hearing that the operator has failed to comply with the requirements of this subchapter or the operator fails to file a timely request for a hearing, the commission by order shall refuse to renew the organization report. The organization report remains in effect until the commission’s order becomes final.