Attendees fill the main hall of the RRC 2026 Regulatory Conference in Round Rock, Texas.
AUSTIN – The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) once again set a new attendance record at its 2026 Regulatory Conference, welcoming more than 1,100 attendees and over 60 exhibitors to the agency’s premier annual educational event.
Held July 13–15 at the Kalahari Resort & Convention Center in Round Rock, the conference brought together stakeholders from across the oil and gas regulatory community, including operators, industry experts, state and federal regulators and other energy professionals.
RRC Executive Director Wei Wang opened the conference before welcoming RRC Chairman Jim Wright, who officially kicked off the event. The first session featured a fireside chat between Chairman Wright and State Representative Drew Darby, Chair of the Texas House Committee on Energy Resources, as well as an update from Chairman Wright on the Commission’s STOPTheft Task Force. Attendees also heard from The Honorable Paul Roberti, Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), who discussed the evolving federal pipeline safety regulatory landscape.
On the second day of the conference, State Representative Cody Harris, Chair of the Texas House Committee on Natural Resources, joined Texas Oil and Gas Association President Todd Staples for a conversation on the future of Texas energy and natural resources.
“We’re honored to bring together legislative, regulatory and industry leaders for meaningful discussions alongside the world-class educational sessions our Regulatory Conference has become known for,” said RRC Executive Director Wei Wang. “This conference provides an invaluable opportunity for stakeholders across the energy industry to collaborate, share ideas and help shape effective energy regulation in Texas. As the conference continues to grow, we’re grateful for the strong participation and look forward to building on this momentum in 2027 to further strengthen effective energy regulation in Texas.”
Jim Wright, RRC Chairman (left), speaks with State Representative Drew Darby during a fireside chat July 13.
More than 90 educational sessions were offered throughout the three-day conference. While many focused on oil and gas regulation, pipeline safety and critical infrastructure, this year’s agenda expanded to include new educational tracks on Alternative Fuels Safety and Surface Mining and Reclamation.
Session highlights included discussions on inactive well compliance, Class VI wells, incident reporting, National Transportation Safety Board investigations and other emerging regulatory topics impacting the Texas energy industry.
