Texas to Mandate Disclosure of Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids
Elizabeth Ames Jones, Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission (RRC), the energy regulatory body for Texas, will begin the process to craft rules to mandate disclosure of certain chemicals in the solutions used in the hydraulic fracturing process commonly used in drilling natural gas and oil wells.
In a prepared statement, chairman Jones said, “A common sense frac fluid disclosure policy will balance the Railroad Commission’s dual mission to prevent the waste of Texas’s energy resources, and to protect the environment and the public’s health and safety. The policy will be built on the sound foundation that the Railroad Commission has already laid through our staff”s active leadership in the crafting of Frac Focus, a disclosure website.
“I expect any rule to formalize best practices while protecting proprietary information. As more foreign companies are investing in businesses that drill here in Texas, and more wells are produced using hydraulic fracturing, it is important that our public disclosure rule does not undermine a frac company’s intellectual property and trade secrets,” said Jones.
On Thursday, June 2, 2011, Jones will also advise the Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu, and the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board’s Natural Gas Subcommittee at the U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters on the state’s oversight role in the area of hydraulic fracturing.
Jones recently testified with other experts and the Environmental Protection Agency before the U.S. House Committee on Science, Space and Technology’s hearing regarding hydraulic fracturing. The review the archived hearing, including Jones’ testimony, on the committee”s website, click here.
