The Texas Railroad Commission's recent approval of a new oil and gas disposal facility in Shelby County marks a significant milestone for East Texas. This long-overdue approval will enhance the region’s energy infrastructure, supporting continued growth and development in the oil and gas sector.
Initially approved by the technical permitting staff, the permit faced challenges, including a recommendation for denial by an administrative law judge. Commissioner Jim Wright, recognizing the need for additional review, remanded the permit over a year ago for further hearings. The applicant responded with substantial evidence, including soil samples from 40 locations, confirming the presence of at least two feet of impervious clay above the first groundwater-bearing zone. They also committed to enhanced safeguards such as additional berms, monitoring wells, and increased stormwater management capacity to address extreme weather events.
The facility's design includes a robust liner system with five redundant layers of protection atop naturally occurring clay, ensuring environmental safety. Importantly, this is a surface-only disposal site, not an injection facility, further minimizing potential risks.
Once operational, this facility will be the only one of its kind in this part of East Texas, addressing a critical shortage of disposal capacity that has constrained the full potential of the Haynesville Shale. As production trends shift, investing in infrastructure like this is essential for reducing operational burdens and positioning East Texas for sustained economic growth.
With the new administration in place, ensuring proper infrastructure in East Texas is more crucial than ever. Given the region's proximity to the Gulf Coast, expanding our capacity to support oil and gas operations will facilitate greater LNG exports to our allies and help lower energy costs for Texans facing inflation.
Just as communities require waste management facilities to support residential development, the oil and gas industry depends on appropriate disposal sites to maintain and expand production. Rural Texas has faced economic challenges, and opposing necessary infrastructure under the guise of "Not In My Backyard" (NIMBY) stifles job creation and economic opportunity. If we seek the benefits of oil and gas activity, we must also support the infrastructure that sustains it.
The Commission’s decision ensures environmental protections while fostering economic development. This facility will provide a safe and efficient disposal solution for oilfield waste, contribute to East Texas’s prosperity, and strengthen the broader state economy.
The Honorable Jason Isaac is the Founder and CEO of the American Energy Institute. He previously served four terms in the Texas House of Representatives.
