Study finds levels of a dangerous gas โoff the scalesโ in Central Texas oilfield
The smell of oil wells has long permeated Caldwell County, near Austin and San Antonio. Now researchers have documented wells releasing dangerous amounts of hydrogen sulfide gas.
Texas proposes first new rules for oilfield waste in 40 years
While environmentalists say the new rules donโt do enough to protect groundwater, oil and gas operators are contesting stricter requirements for waste pits near wells.
Group sues Texas over law banning state business with firms โboycottingโ fossil fuels
The lawsuit, filed in federal court, argues that the 2021 so-called โanti-ESGโ law discriminates against specific political views.
The oil industry is booming. This West Texas small business worries itโs been left behind.
Before the pandemic, Ben Bilbrey worked with some of the largest oil companies. Now heโs waiting for the phone to ring.
Unregulated oilfield power lines are suspected of sparking Texas wildfires
No state agency is taking responsibility for making sure the privately built lines that power many oil and gas sites are safe. Such lines have been blamed for sparking two recent Panhandle fires.
Truckers hope protest over unpaid hours and lack of restrooms will spark a Permian Basin labor movement
Truckers say they can wait up to 18 hours without pay to load or unload fracking sand. The drilling sites often lack restrooms.
Companies aim to release more treated oilfield wastewater into rivers and streams
Texas regulators are issuing permits to discharge large volumes of treated โproduced waterโ into some waterways. Questions remain about the toxic pollutants found in the wastewater.
In Texas, ex-oil and gas workers champion geothermal energy as a replacement for fossil-fueled power plants
Texas has become an early hot spot for geothermal energy exploration as scores of former oil industry workers and executives are taking their knowledge to a new energy source.
Texas energy companies are betting hydrogen can become a cleaner fuel for transportation
Supporters say developing hydrogen as a fuel is critical to slowing climate change. Critics are concerned that producing it with fossil fuels will prop up the oil and gas industry.
Expuestos y en el olvido: El aire tรณxico en una comunidad latina de Texas revela los fallos del sistema estatal de control de calidad del aire
Los datos pรบblicos de una red de monitores de la calidad del aire alrededor del Canal de Navegaciรณn de Houston son difรญciles de interpretar y a menudo son insuficientes, dejando a vecindarios de mayorรญa latina, como Cloverleaf, sin saber si el aire que respiran es seguro.
Neglected and exposed: Toxic air lingers in a Texas Latino community, revealing failures in stateโs air monitoring system
Public data from a network of state air monitors around the Houston Ship Channel is hard to interpret and is often inadequate, leaving Latino-majority neighborhoods like Cloverleaf unaware of whether the air they breathe is safe.
โNobody really knows what youโre supposed to doโ: Leaking, exploding abandoned wells wreak havoc in West Texas
The Texas Railroad Commission is tasked with plugging wells. But the state regulators say their scope is limited.
Railroad Commission approves oilfield waste ponds next to Baptist camp in Permian Basin
Martin Water is building an oil and gas waste recycling facility next to the Circle 6 Baptist Camp in the Permian Basin despite concerns about water and air pollution.
Texas A&M University to close Qatar campus
The Texas A&M Board cited heightened instability in the Middle East as the reason to end its contract with the Qatar Foundation to run the branch campus. The foundation accuses the board of falling prey to a โdisinformation campaign.โ
Texas regulators limit oil and gas disposal wells in bid to reduce earthquakes in West Texas
Injecting saltwater back into the ground โis likely contributing to recent seismic activity,โ the Railroad Commission of Texas has said.
Midland settles with company to drill wastewater wells near the cityโs drinking water supply
The city initially protested Pilotโs applications to drill the wells close to its water supply.
Judge overrules Texas, strikes down air pollution permit for Gulf Coast oil terminal
A judge reversed a 2022 decision by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality that involved its controversial โone-mile ruleโ to deny hearing requests.
Texas will have to cut methane emissions from oil fields under new federal climate rule
The Biden Administration announced a crackdown on methane emissions, a major driver of climate change. Major oil and gas companies also signed on to a voluntary net-zero commitment.
Federal court overturns Texas agencyโs pollution permit for Gulf Coast natural gas export terminal
Judges overturned a state air pollution permit that was issued last year, arguing that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality illegally enabled Port Arthur LNG to avoid emissions control requirements.
Midland fights disposal of oilfield wastewater near its drinking supply
As oil and gas companies struggle to dispose of their wastewater in the Permian Basin, the city of Midland is challenging applications for disposal wells near one of its drinking water sources.
In a hot oil and gas economy, a West Texas welder charts his own course one cup of coffee at a time
Fabian Maldonado has supported his Odessa family for years on his welding salary. Wanting more, heโs gambling that a mobile coffee trailer can withstand the booms and busts of the industry.
Oil and gas companies spill millions of gallons of wastewater in Texas
An exclusive Inside Climate News analysis found that companies have spilled nearly 150 million gallons of toxic, highly saline wastewater in Texas over the last decade.
Oilfield companies helped to craft Texasโ new waste rules for 2 years before the public got to see them
The effort to update the stateโs oilfield waste disposal rules was initiated by Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright, one of the stateโs top oil and gas regulators who has investments in the industry.
U.S. Rep. Randy Weber concerned Texas projects hurt amid Freedom Caucus budget fight
The far-right congressman from Friendswood still backs the conservative push to lower spending, but worries bipartisan Texas projects have been impacted.
EPAโs inspector general says agency isnโt enforcing benzene pollution rules at refineries in Texas, nationally
A report by the federal environmental agencyโs internal watchdog found that EPA is failing to enforce its own pollution limits for the known carcinogen at many refineries โ including some in Texas.
Family legacies and the stateโs Jim Crow past underlie a fight over mineral rights on a stretch of South Texas scrubland
Descendants of a prominent white family and a formerly enslaved couple are fighting over ownership โ and the oil and gas royalties that would come with it โ of an 147.5-acre tract that has bound and divided generations of their families.
Texasโ environmental agency enables companies to increase oilfield wastewater disposal in rivers
Researchers are still studying the chemical makeup of โproduced waterโ from Permian Basin oil fields. But regulators say theyโre ready to issue permits to discharge the water into rivers and creeks.
For Texans, fighting state-regulated oilfield waste dumps can be a costly, do-it-yourself effort
Some Texans who challenge oil and gas waste sites must spend significant sums and time on investigating what they say the Texas Railroad Commission should examine. Will new regulations for handling waste increase oversight or just maintain the status quo?
West Texas gas operators released tons of excess emissions during June heat wave
When sizzling temperatures in June affected the air pressure in pipelines in West Texas, companies in five counties vented millions of pounds of natural gas and other toxins into the air.
Company confirms it has found new funding to build a massive gas terminal at the Port of Brownsville
Brownsville is the last major deepwater port in Texas that doesnโt have large fossil fuel projects. The 750-acre facility will export Texas natural gas to other countries.
Determined to forge ahead with canal expansion, Army Corps unveils testing plan for contaminants in Matagorda Bay
The expansion project will enable the worldโs largest class of tanker ships to dock at a new oil export terminal on the Gulf Coast. It also involves dredging a Superfund site.
Abbott appointee resigns as chair of power grid regulator
Public Utility Commission chair Peter Lake had spearheaded a plan to help the stateโs power grid withstand weather disasters, but the plan lacked support in the Texas Legislature.
Texas power struggle: How the nationโs top wind power state turned against renewable energy.
State lawmakers have pushed bills to support fossil fuel-burning power plants and restrict renewable energy development this legislative session.
Texas Republicans want to shield oil and gas from federal climate regulations. Their bill would have little impact, experts say.
The bill would direct Texas agencies to not enforce federal regulations on the oil industry if thereโs not a similar state regulation. But it likely wouldnโt apply to most federal environmental rules, experts and lawmakers said.
Economic incentives clear Senate committee as negotiations continue
Lawmakers are trying hard to come up with an agreement on how to replace an embattled 20-year tax abatement program for big companies that expired in December.
Texas House moves to crack down on polluters with stricter penalties and heavier oversight
The bill would require the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to focus enforcement and increase penalties on repeat violators and increase public outreach. Still, environmental advocates say the effort was too โmodestโ in its reach.
New economic incentive plan clears hurdle in Texas House
During the floor debate for a plan to replace the expired Chapter 313 program, House members added that the new version of the incentive must require companies to pay higher wages and create stiffer penalties for noncompliance.
Finding and keeping workers in post-pandemic economy is a struggle for West Texas, local leaders tell Fed
Local leaders told members of the Federal Reserve last week that families are facing financial stresses that make working hard. Educators say they need families more involved at school.
Bills aimed at adding more natural gas power to Texas grid clear Senate
Critics say the bills could lead to untold billions in added costs to customers and minimal benefits while ignoring needed efforts to reduce electricity demand.
Texas Senate moves to set aside billions for future water needs
The Senate on Monday passed a bill that would create a new state fund tailored for large or long-shot water supply projects, including marine desalination. The bill will advance to the House.
Thousands of pounds of โforever chemicalsโ have been injected into Texas oil and gas wells, study finds
A new report from a public health watchdog found that more than 40,000 pounds of PFAS has been injected into more than 1,000 wells across Texas โ and warned that the chemicals could pose a risk to public health
El Paso charter fight tests whether a Texas city will move away from fossil fuels
As global efforts to combat climate change falter, climate activists have turned to local initiatives to rein in carbon emissions. A May vote on a city charter amendment has thrust El Paso into the fray.
The EPA wants to limit how much soot you breathe. Hereโs what it means for Texas and one of its historic Black towns.
Federal limits on particulate matter commonly known as soot could mean cleaner, safer air for Texans. But environmental experts worry Texas may snub rules.
Landowners fear injection of fracking waste threatens West Texas aquifers
Operators pump a sea of โproduced waterโ underground for disposal. Intensifying tremors raise fears that the deep toxic waste pits could intermingle with water used for farming and drinking.
Critics say state tax break helps petrochemical companies and hurts public schools
In December, legislators killed a controversial tax abatement program known as Chapter 313, but its effects will last decades.
In East Texas, a town fights to keep an oilfield waste dump from opening near wetlands and water wells
The Texas Railroad Commission has rejected the proposal twice over water contamination concerns, but locals are dismayed that the commissioners keep giving the developer more chances to alter its application.
Texas environmentalists push the EPA to crack down on methane emissions, saying state agencies have โfailed usโ
Commenting on the EPAโs proposed new rule to reduce methane leaks nationally, environmentalists said Texas regulators are hesitant to address emissions of the climate super-pollutant.
GOP lawmakers accuse investment firms of breaking a law that prohibits divesting from oil and gas
At a senate committee hearing in Marshall, Texas Republican lawmakers accused investment firms of pulling back on fossil fuels, running afoul of a 2021 law that prohibits the state from contracting with or investing in companies that โboycottโ oil, natural gas and coal companies.
Biden administration quietly approves huge Texas oil export project
The Sea Port Oil Terminal would be 30 miles off the Texas coast and is one of four proposed offshore terminals designed to dramatically expand the U.S. oil export capacity.
Texas oil and gas agency investigating 5.4 magnitude earthquake in West Texas, the largest in three decades
The quake was the third largest in Texas history, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. An increase in seismic activity in Texas has been linked to injecting fracking wastewater underground.
Corpus Christi sold its water to Exxon, gambling on desalination. So far, it is losing the bet.
Concerns over ecological damage to Corpus Christi Bay have delayed plans to convert sea water to drinking water for years in this booming Gulf Coast city, where environmentalists see water supply as a โchokeholdโ to block new fossil fuel infrastructure.
Port Arthur pollution fight shows how Texas blocks citizen protests
A local activist went before a judge, arguing for lower pollution limits on two new liquified natural gas facilities. The judge sided with him, but the state environmental agency sided with the companies.
Sarah Stogner, former GOP candidate for railroad commissioner, backs Democratic nominee in Novemberโs election
Stogner, who lost in a Republican primary runoff to incumbent Wayne Christian, said sheโs endorsing Luke Warford.
EPA reverses course, rejects permit for massive oil exporting project offshore from Corpus Christi
During the Trump administration, the Environmental Protection Agency exempted a proposed oil export terminal off the Texas coast from air pollution requirements. This week it rejected the permit because of pollution concerns.
Texasโ oil and gas industry will produce โmassive amountโ of toxic wastewater with few reuse options, study finds
Oil and gas companies produce 3.8 billion barrels of wastewater per year in the arid Permian Basin. A state consortium is trying to figure out whether it can be reused.
Texas gas companies face fines up to $1 million for failing to prepare for extreme weather
Critics are skeptical about whether the new rules by the Railroad Commission will prevent another catastrophe like the power grid disaster in February 2021.
EPA says it is looking for โsuper-emittersโ of methane gas in Texasโ Permian Basin
The federal environment agency says it will continue flyovers of the Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico until Aug. 15 using infrared cameras to survey oil and gas operations.
Biden plan could allow new offshore drilling in Gulf of Mexico
His campaign promise to end fossil fuel development on public lands was thwarted by U.S. courts, high gas prices and Russiaโs domination of Western European energy.
Wayne Christian secures GOP nomination for another term on the commission regulating Texasโ oil and gas industry
Christian beat Sarah Stogner in the Republican primary runoff for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission after she accused him of corruption during the campaign.
Five Texas refineries polluted above federal limit on cancer-causing benzene last year, report found
Benzene is a known human carcinogen, according to the EPA. The Texas refineries were among a dozen industrial plants in the U.S. that emitted the highest levels of the chemical in 2021.
Texas power grid, energy sectors facing elevated Russian cyber threats during war in Ukraine
Utility companies and key oil and gas transportation hubs are on high alert as Russian hackers have been probing energy infrastructureโs digital networks for weak points.
In Texas, calls to boost U.S. oil production after Russian invasion run into hard realities
Labor shortages, supply chain issues, hesitant financial backers and a frosty relationship with the Biden administration have limited how much Texas oil and gas companies are ramping up production.
Texas warns firms they could lose state contracts for divesting from fossil fuels
A new law prohibits the state from contracting with or investing in companies that divest from oil, natural gas and coal companies.
Analysis: A power test for Texas voters
After last winterโs near-statewide electric blackouts, Texas lawmakers went after regulators they deemed responsible but tiptoed around the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates oil and gas. Now voters have a chance, if they want it, to send the state a message.
Oil tycoon Kelcy Warren sues Beto OโRourke alleging defamation over power grid criticism
Kelcy Warren, the Dallas pipeline tycoon and top donor to Gov. Greg Abbott, is suing OโRourke over his criticism of the windfall profits that Warrenโs company made after the 2021 winter storm.
Texas oil and gas producers to see short-term profits after Russia invades Ukraine
Energy markets responding to the war with higher oil and gas prices also means energy consumers will likely pay more on their utility bills and at the gas pump.
400,000 Texas homes and businesses could lose power over financial dispute between energy companies
Vistra Corp. asked the Railroad Commission of Texas to prevent Energy Transfer LP from cutting off fuel to five of its power plants on Monday. Vistra said the power supply to at least 400,000 homes and businesses could be impacted.
Texas natural gas production dropped during recent cold front, reviving concerns about electric grid
Energy experts said the production drop during a relatively ordinary cold front could be a bad sign for the grid if the state is struck by extreme winter weather again.
Texas energy regulators, gas industry try to reassure the public that the stateโs power grid is ready for winter
As state regulators and the companies that power the grid take steps to avoid another catastrophe like Februaryโs winter storm, climate experts say this winter will likely be milder.
Texas regulators pass rule aimed at preventing natural gas producers from having power cut off during future winter storms
But Texas oil and gas regulators addressed only part of the problem that led millions of Texans to lose power for days after Februaryโs winter storm, and gas producers likely wonโt be required to weatherize until 2023.
As world leaders seek to rein in methane, Texas' oil and gas industry pressured to cut emissions
A proposed Environmental Protection Agency rule could require oil and gas producers to monitor and reduce emissions of methane in the field.
Climate change is making Texas hotter, threatening public health, water supply and the stateโs infrastructure
A report from the state climatologist finds that the state is experiencing hotter days with less relief from high temperatures at night.
The Karankawa were said to be extinct. Now theyโre reviving their culture โ and fighting to protect their ancestorsโ land.
Historians long thought the Karankawa people had disappeared. But now a group of descendants is fighting to protect a coastal area โ where thousands of Karankawa artifacts were found โ from an encroaching oil export facility.
Shell sells off its oil and gas business in Texasโ Permian Basin, seeking to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels
Texas-based ConocoPhillips bought Shellโs Permian Basin assets for $9.5 billion, its second major purchase in the oil-rich area over the last year.
Analysis: The Texas electric grid and the improvements that didnโt come
Texas lawmakers passed major bills in response to the winter storm power outages that killed hundreds of Texans in February. But thereโs still a lot to do.