RRC Chairman Wright Accepts Environmental Stewardship Award from IOGCC Chairman Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy

Agency recognized for excellence in its well plugging project protecting Matagorda Bay

AUSTIN – Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) Chairman Jim Wright was honored to accept the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission Chair’s Stewardship Award for Environmental Partnership on behalf of the agency during the IOGCC Annual Conference in Anchorage, Alaska today.

This award recognizes the RRC’s work in partnership with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Orphaned Wells Program Office, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service, the Texas General Land Office and Crescent Energy Services in the successful completion of one of the most complex offshore plugging and abandonment operations ever undertaken on orphan wells in U.S. waters.

This multi-stakeholder partnership to plug eight offshore orphaned wells - sometimes working more than 60 feet underwater - lasted approximately four months with multiple tropical storms and hurricanes, including the Category 5 Hurricane Beryl, impacting the complex maritime project.

Throughout the project, operators also made efforts to protect marine wildlife, including protected species, pausing operations when necessary to ensure both the animals’ safety and compliance with regulatory requirements.

“Completion of the plugging not only eliminated an ongoing environmental threat but also demonstrated leadership, innovation and collaboration between the Railroad Commission, the U.S. Department of Interior and the Texas General Land Office under the leadership of Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham,” said RRC Chairman Jim Wright. “This is the third time the Commission has won the Stewardship Award for Environmental Partnership, and we gratefully accept it in recognition of our work to protect public lands and for our expertise in well plugging.” 

Upon completion, the total project cost was $11.68 million, funded by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The Railroad Commission’s orphaned well plugging program, which remains highly regarded nationwide, is a key mechanism in the agency’s critical mission to protect public safety and the environment.