2023 Texas Statutes › Natural Resources Code › Title 3 - Oil and Gas › Subtitle B - Conservation and Regulation of Oil and Gas › Chapter 89 - Abandoned Wells › Subchapter D. Costs of Plugging Wells › Section 89.086. Claims Against Oil and Gas Regulation and Cleanup Fund

Sec. 89.086.  CLAIMS AGAINST OIL AND GAS REGULATION AND CLEANUP FUND.  (a)  A person with a legal or equitable ownership or security interest in well-site equipment or hydrocarbons disposed of under Section 89.085 may make a claim against the oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund unless an element of the transaction giving rise to the interest occurs after the commission forecloses its statutory lien under Section 89.083.
(b)  The commission shall adopt a form on which a person may file a sworn claim with the commission.
(c)  A claimant must identify the well-site equipment or hydrocarbons in which the claimant has an interest and state the amount of the property interest as of the date the commission foreclosed its statutory lien under Section 89.083.
(d)  The commission may require a person to include with a claim documentation that substantiates the claim or to disclose whether the claimant was an operator or nonoperator of the well.
(e)  The commission may set a hearing to receive evidence on a claim filed under this section.  The commission shall notify the claimant of the date, time, and place of a hearing.
(f)  If the commission holds a hearing, the commission shall issue:
(1)  a decision on the claim;
(2)  a statement of findings of fact that includes the substance of the evidence heard;  and
(3)  the conclusions of law that support the decision.
(g)  The commission shall consider the validity of claims in the order in which the claims are filed.
(h)  The commission shall suspend an amount of money in the oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund equal to the amount of the claim until the claim is finally resolved.  If the provisions of Subsection (k) prevent suspension of the full amount of the claim, the commission shall treat the claim as two consecutively filed claims, one in the amount of funds available for suspension and the other in the remaining amount of the claim.
(i)  A claim made by or on behalf of the operator or a nonoperator of a well or a successor to the rights of the operator or nonoperator is subject to a ratable deduction from the proceeds or credit received for the well-site equipment to cover the costs incurred by the commission in removing the equipment or hydrocarbons from the well or in transporting, storing, or disposing of the equipment or hydrocarbons.  A claim made by a person who is not an operator or nonoperator is subject to a ratable deduction for the costs incurred by the commission in removing the equipment from the well.  If a claimant is a person who is responsible under law or commission rules for plugging the well or cleaning up pollution originating on the lease or if the claimant owes a penalty assessed by the commission or a court for a violation of a commission rule or order, the commission may recoup from or offset against a valid claim an expense incurred by the oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund that is not otherwise reimbursed or any penalties owed.  An amount recouped from, deducted from, or offset against a claim under this subsection shall be treated as an invalid portion of the claim and shall remain suspended in the oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund in the manner provided by Subsection (j).
(j)  If the commission finds that a claim is valid in whole or in part, the commission shall pay the valid portion of the claim from the suspended amount in the oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund not later than the 30th day after the date of the commission's decision.  If the commission finds that a claim is invalid in whole or in part, the commission shall continue to suspend in the oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund an amount equal to the invalid portion of the claim until the period during which the commission's decision may be appealed has expired or, if appealed, during the period the case is under judicial review.  If on appeal the district court finds the claim valid in whole or in part, the commission shall pay the valid portion of the claim from the suspended amount in the oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund not later than 30 days after the date the court's judgment becomes unappealable.  On the date the commission's decision is not subject to judicial review, the commission shall release from the suspended amount in the oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund the amount of the claim held to be invalid.
(k)  If the aggregate of claims paid and money suspended that relates to well-site equipment or hydrocarbons from a particular well equals the total of the actual proceeds and credit realized from the disposition of that equipment or those hydrocarbons, the oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund is not liable for any subsequently filed claims that relate to the same equipment or hydrocarbons unless and until the commission releases from the suspended amount money derived from the disposition of that equipment or those hydrocarbons.  If the commission releases money, then the commission shall suspend money in the amount of subsequently filed claims in the order of filing.
(l)  A person who informs a potential claimant that the potential claimant may be entitled to file a claim under this section or who files a claim on behalf of a claimant may not contract for or receive from the claimant for services an amount greater than 10 percent of the paid claim.
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 515, Sec. 5, eff. Jan. 1, 1994.  Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1233, Sec. 16, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Amended by:
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 4 (S.B. 1), Sec. 19.12, eff. September 28, 2011.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 4 (S.B. 1), Sec. 19.13, eff. September 28, 2011.