Texas regulator streamlines processing times for drilling permits
Texas regulator streamlines processing times for drilling permits
AUSTIN – The Texas Railroad Commission's Information Technology Modernization Program is streamlining the Commission’s permitting process for drilling permits. Expedited permit processing was reduced from a peak of 30 days experienced with a surge in industry activity in the spring of this year to a one-day processing rate in November.
Using funding from the Texas Legislature for the Commission’s IT Modernization Program, the Commission made key upgrades to hardware, software and refinements to internal processes for analyzing drilling permit applications. Software improvements also allow for quicker identification and processing of vertical drilling permits.
The IT enhancements also provide drilling permit managers with statistical reports that pinpoint how long processing times are for various vertical, horizontal and directional drilling permit applications.
In November, more than 50% of the drilling permits were processed within 1 to 3 days compared to about 9% of the permits processed within 1 to 3 days in the spring of 2014.
Chairman Christi Craddick said, "With the ability to issue permit applications in a few short days, companies can keep workers in the field where they can earn a wage for their families and produce the oil and gas that is critical to the Texas economy."
Commissioner David Porter said, “In addition to IT enhancements, we also were able to hire additional temporary staff to help meet the demands of the rising drilling permit applications and to assist our hardworking permanent staff.”
Commissioner Barry Smitherman said, “It is essential that the Commission have the tools and funding to meet industry demands, and I want to thank our Texas Legislators for providing us with the IT and personnel resources necessary to do that.”
Further enhancements are forthcoming to the drilling permit application systems including allowing operators to look up online special field rules for horizontal wells and to view a proposed well location immediately in the Commission’s Public GIS Viewer by collecting coordinates on the wells in the drilling permit application.
