Am I the only one that gets frustrated when I drive down the road and I see old, abandoned oil field equipment littered around the country? I am not talking about production equipment from wells that were shut in over the past few years, I am talking about equipment that was last in service 30 or 40 years ago or even longer. I see old tanks, compressors, pumping units, separators and evidence of old pipeline right-of-ways that haven't been maintained in many years. Why doesn't the Texas Railroad Commission force this stuff to be cleaned up after it has not been in service for X number of years? I am sure there are ownership questions about really old equipment that's been sitting for 50 years, but surely something could be done. The pipeline right of way issue may just be a matter of removing vent pipes and signage from fences but my guess is that there is still an old pipeline still in the ground that has probably been inactive for decades. That's not necessarily a problem I suppose as long as it was abandoned properly.

My biggest concern is for the equipment that is on the surface that has trees growing up through it and has clearly seen its last day of service many years ago. If a land owner wants this equipment on their land, so be it, but I've spoken to several land owners over the years who want equipment cleared but don't know how to go about doing it and need assistance.

Disclaimer: I am a native Texan. I love the State of Texas and how the state fosters business and allows land owners the freedom to manage their own property. I am also in the oil field service business.

Because cleaning it up is a matter of the lease terms, which the landowner needs to enforce, not the state.

quote:

---

The pipeline right of way issue may just be a matter of removing vent pipes and signage from fences but my guess is that there is still an old pipeline still in the ground that has probably been inactive for decades.

---

Might be that pipeline companies are reluctant to abandon old lines because they might reuse the RoW for future lines. Unsure as to the legal aspects of that issue, but I believe the RoW belongs to the pipeline company, or its assigns, in perpetuity! All for a one-time fee paid at the time it was purchased or "confiscated" by means of Emminent Domain.

The RRC does have a cleanup program for abandoned wells, there are just too many of them and not enough $ to catch up.

Right now the RRC is out of money. They're not even able to repair their trucks or buy new ones. I was told this by one of their field engineers today. So, I doubt they are worried about equipment that's not doing any harm.

Landowners problem not the state. You can build a mountain of old equipment on your own property if you want to.

I kind of like that stuff. Kind of just a part of things where I'm from.

RRC stays after these issues as often as it possibly can...see Form W-3C. There are consequences to operators of record who violate Statewide Rule 15 and 14.

Obviously government is the only answer.

I'm in the O&G business and still hate to see old equipment left out on abandoned wells from bankrupt operators. It's a shame driving a boat through the marshes of SWLA after Katrina. The state needs to set some $$$ aside when times are good to clean up the mess when times are bad, but that never happens.

Funds are set aside and surety bonds are collected all the time.

I realize that but they don't always end up going to where they were originally appropriated for. Look at the orphan well program in PA for example. Tom Wolf is trying to allocate money from the oil producing townships to fund the entitlement programs in Philadelphia

Good for PA. That would never fly in TX. The legislature would lose its *****..take my word for it.

The wind energy companies are supposed to put money aside for eventual decommissioning of windmills. I can easily see the companies or the government f-ing that up, and in 40-50 years, you guys will be dealing with forests of decaying turbines.

If I'm still around, I won't care, I'll be promoting myself as the oldest living Aggie, the only one left from an all-male Corps of Cadets.

You're misinformed. Field engineers are the church ladies of the RRC.

I just wish we could have more abandoned well stuff out in the bay's

There are a ton of abandoned crew boats, barges and offshore supply vessels scattered along the canals of south Louisiana.

Most state employees that have to drive much will make that statement in August. September 1 all is good. I usually did a through maintenance run in June. July funds get pulled and redistributed to get it spent down (want to reduce government spending, get rid of the use it or lose rules). August you cross your fingers you don't break down or have unexpected gas expenses.

quote:

---

Obviously government is the only answer.

---

My family has owned land in an oil field since the '50s, or as the ***** OP would say an oil field has been placed on my Parents land.

Either way, my parents still live there. I grew up in the/an oil field literally.

Some of my angst comes from some property that I own. It had some old equipment on it from production that was on the property in the 1940's and 50's. I had it hauled off by a guy that who then sold it for scrap. While I was doing it, I had several people tell me that I should not touch it unless I had permission from the owner of the equipment. The obvious problem is that there was no traceability back to the ownership. That equipment sat out there for 60+ years without anybody touching it. This is a very rural area and a farming community. Most people see oil field equipment and think it will blow up if you try to move it to haul it off. I just do not feel that looking at abandonded equipment littering up some otherwise pristine country-side should be acceptable for those of us that truly love Texas and find beauty in the rural areas that are the backbone of our great state.

Oh, and I am a ***** because I think that the State of Texas should do what they can to ensure that companies today operate in a responsible manner and don't leave their junk behind. Man, GTFO. You really have no clue what you are talking about. I'd be happy to talk about my positive experiences with oil companies and oil service providers. I have worked for several over the past 25 years. As a land owner, I've had pipelines installed and pipeline removed without any issues whatsoever. I had a well drilled on my place in 2014 and the oil company said that I was more cooperative than any land owner they've worked with in recent history. It doesn't make you or me a government dependent liberal to expect that companies and the property owners are good stewards of the land. I'm as much of a small government guy as anybody.

I can't remember the number of years, but I believe in Texas there's a time period after lease expiration where all equipment becomes the property of the surface owner. That doesn't remove the liability of the Operator to P&A the well, but all downhole and surface equipment at a point becomes property of surface owner.

A lot of newer oil & gas leases have a provision that all equipment becomes property of Lessor within 180 days of lease expiration if Operator doesn't remove it.

quote:

---

C
Oh, and I am a ***** because I think that the State of Texas should do what they can to ensure that companies today operate in a responsible manner and don't leave their junk behind. Man, GTFO. You really have no clue what you are talking about. I'd be happy to talk about my positive experiences with oil companies and oil service providers. I have worked for several over the past 25 years. As a land owner, I've had pipelines installed and pipeline removed without any issues whatsoever. I had a well drilled on my place in 2014 and the oil company said that I was more cooperative than any land owner they've worked with in recent history. It doesn't make you or me a government dependent liberal to expect that companies and the property owners are good stewards of the land. I'm as much of a small government guy as anybody.

---

Well, like a lot of americans, you are not a small government guy, you just think you are. Your basic premise proves it. I commend you for trying to be one, but suggest you consider that.

Private mineral ownership is the most unique and incredible thing left in america. It has made literally millions and millions of millionaires. Nowhere else in the world is that kind of economic benefit ever allowed to rest in the
hands of ordinary citizens.

The corrolary is the mineral owner enforces those things. There are lots of ways to do it. The final,piece of the puzzle is a good judicial branch to resolve any differences and enforce your terms. We have been destroying that part though, which is a mistake. But regulatory intervention is never the answer.

Come and take it!

Once a year I look at a rusted out, abandoned 20 ft high oil storage tank and wonder what we could do with it or how to move it. Then I drive on.

Given how small oil companies come and go, either simply going out of business or being bought and sold multiple times, I bet that most abandoned equipment has been written off and forgotten years ago, and the records destroyed.

Not to mention the fact that to claim the equipment, they would also claim responsibility for any environmental hazard/cleanup associated with said equipment. Another incentive for "forgetting" about old equipment.

On a slightly related note, we have an old piece of farm equipment (sandfighter for you Panhandle/South Plains guys) made out of old oil field pipe. Dad probably made it 60 years ago from scrap he got in Dawson County. We tried to haul it to a scrap yard, and the manager came running out to the yard to stop us from dumping it. Apparently it was radioactive. Our guess is that it picked up radiation from well logging tools.

We had to bring it home and dumped it in a field. Maybe we can try again in 10,000 years, or whatever the half life is.

quote:

---

Given how small oil companies come and go, either simply going out of business or being bought and sold multiple times, I bet that most abandoned equipment has been written off and forgotten years ago, and the records destroyed.

Not to mention the fact that to claim the equipment, they would also claim responsibility for any environmental hazard/cleanup associated with said equipment. Another incentive for "forgetting" about old equipment.

---

This. Plenty of operators who want the sleeping dog left alone. RRC is backed up enough with too much to do with too few people so it's not like they are driving down county roads and taking notes. They respond to complaints or notifications.

quote:

---

Come and take it!

Once a year I look at a rusted out, abandoned 20 ft high oil storage tank and wonder what we could do with it or how to move it. Then I drive on.

---

When the price of scrap iron is high, (like it was a few years ago) it's easy to find folks that will come and haul it off for its salvage value, but you hafta be proactive about it. Few people are, thus it languishes.

As for the OP's idealism, I'm fairly certain most of his suggestions have been put into law, but that's only a first step, and there's plenty of ways for laws to be ignored and or otherwise abused. It's human nature, and uniformity will never be achieved. Especially in a state as large and diverse as Texas.

But there's nothing wrong with pointing out pet peeves and human foibles. Gives the "rest of us" something to criticize!

The RRC has more rules about this issue in place than there used to be. That said, there's not much recourse available for a landowner with really old equipment abandoned on location. In certain instances, I'm sympathetic to the landowner. In others, not so much.

Example 1: Unsophisticated surface owner who inherited land and family farming business without owning minerals. Old Producer's 88 lease with no surface protection language. Crappy operator went BK years ago and left a bunch of hazardous junk on location. That's a raw deal.

Example 2: Sophisticated large ranch owner who negotiated a 50 page lease and 50 page surface use agreement with a reputable operator. Landowner got paid millions in bonus and royalties. Landowner demands $$ and additional royalty in exchange for consent to assign to a new operator. Downturn happens and new operator has no cash. Facilities begin to deteriorate and operator doesn't have money to improve them. Landowner clamors that operator is in breach of lease. Operator makes efforts to fix as much equipment as possible, but landowner continues to clamor. Operator releases lease, abandons properties, and files BK. I don't feel bad for the landowner here. It was a business transaction and the landowner turned the screws.

For what it's worth, I believe operators should stay on top of P&A, pipeline abandonment, and pad site reclamation. It makes sense for them in the long run and is better for the environment. Disclaimer - I've spent my career in E&P.

quote:

---

The wind energy companies are supposed to put money aside for eventual decommissioning of windmills. I can easily see the companies or the government f-ing that up, and in 40-50 years, you guys will be dealing with forests of decaying turbines.

If I'm still around, I won't care, I'll be promoting myself as the oldest living Aggie, the only one left from an all-male Corps of Cadets.

---

I never thought of this, but I agree there will be an extremely high possibility of junk windmills lying around for years due to lack of clean-up funds, or whatever.

And if you are class of 77, you only "enjoyed" the all male comaradarie for your fish year. It's been forty years, but I still remember that one good looking blonde and her brunette friend with the smokin bod. I danced with them both at Sparky's..... so did everyone else.

If the class years did not date us as old farts, any mention of "Sparky's", does it.

quote:

---

But there's nothing wrong with pointing out pet peeves and human foibles. Gives the "rest of us" something to criticize!

---

Yeah, once you guys let me off the hook for this I'm gonna start a thread about my other pet peave....I think that paying property taxes on a second home that is in a different tax jurisdiction than one's residence is taxation without representation and therefore unconstitutional.

quote:

---

quote:

---

But there's nothing wrong with pointing out pet peeves and human foibles. Gives the "rest of us" something to criticize!

---

Yeah, once you guys let me off the hook for this I'm gonna start a thread about my other pet peave....I think that paying property taxes on a second home that is in a different tax jurisdiction than one's residence is taxation without representation and therefore unconstitutional.

---

Ready when you are! The ad valorem based tax system in Texas is badly antiquated and unfair! But good luck changing it!

quote:

---

Yeah, once you guys let me off the hook for this I'm gonna start a thread about my other pet peave...

---

Then I'll start one of my own about people who can't spell being my pet peeve.

Buy your second home in Alto, New Mexico.

quote:

---

Well, like a lot of americans, you are not a small government guy, you just think you are.

---

-edit- not really trying to call out the OP here, I just like the statement in general. lots of small government talk but not a lot of small government follow through amongst so-called conservatives these days.