Regulatory
What Does an SPCC Plan Cost? A Pricing Guide for Texas Operators
What an SPCC plan costs and what drives the price: self-certified vs. PE-certified plans, facility size, and typical industry ranges for Texas operators.
Read Article →Industry Insights
Technical guidance on EHS compliance, oilfield engineering, and Texas regulatory requirements, written by practitioners, not marketers.
Regulatory
NSPS OOOOb and OOOOc in 2026: What the Deadline Extensions Mean for Texas Operators
Where EPA's NSPS OOOOb and OOOOc methane rules stand in 2026 for Texas operators: which deadlines were extended to January 2027, and what still applies.
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Produced Water Disposal and Compliance in Texas: An Operator's Guide
How produced water is regulated in Texas: RRC disposal well rules, the RCRA E&P exemption, spill reporting, induced seismicity, and recycling.
Read Article → Project Management
The Anatomy of an Audit-Proof P&ID: From Field Verification to Digital Twin
Audit-proof P&IDs for Texas oil & gas: a 4-stage method for field verification, SPCC & LDAR documentation, RRC/PSM compliance, and digital twins.
Read Article → Operations
API 510/570 Compliance Deep Dive: Leveraging Predictive Maintenance for Pressure Vessel and Piping Integrity
A technical guide to API 510/570 compliance for pressure vessels and piping, detailing how to leverage predictive maintenance and RBI to ensure integrity.
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How to Build a Centralized Environmental Compliance Calendar
A definitive technical guide for energy operators on building a centralized environmental compliance calendar to manage EPA, RRC, and OSHA regulations in Texas.
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How to Build and Implement a Compliant LDAR Program from Scratch
How to build a compliant LDAR program from scratch: component inventory, mapping NSPS Quad O rules, choosing Method 21 or OGI, and repair timelines.
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How to Characterize Oilfield Waste for RCRA Disposal
A definitive technical resource for Texas oilfield operators on how to characterize waste for RCRA disposal, comparing process knowledge vs. analytical testing.
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Checklist: Is Your Oil & Gas Operation Ready for an EPA or RRC Audit?
A self-assessment checklist to get your Texas oil and gas operation audit-ready for an EPA or RRC inspection: permits, air, waste, spills, and records.
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Clean Air Act (CAA) Essentials for Upstream & Midstream Operations
A technical guide to Clean Air Act (CAA) compliance for Texas upstream and midstream oil & gas operations, covering NSPS, NESHAP, LDAR, and state permitting.
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The Anatomy of an EPA Fine: How Penalties are Calculated and How to Avoid Them
A technical breakdown of how the EPA calculates fines under the Clean Air Act and a strategic guide for oil and gas operators to avoid them through consolidated
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Clean Water Act (CWA) Compliance: What Every O&G Site Manager Needs to Know
A definitive guide for O&G Site Managers on Clean Water Act (CWA) compliance in Texas, focusing on SPCC, NPDES, and Section 404 to ensure operational continuity
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The Definitive Guide to Oil & Gas Environmental Compliance in Texas
A guide to Texas oil and gas environmental compliance: which agencies regulate you (RRC, TCEQ, EPA, OSHA) and how to comply on air, spills, waste, and water.
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SPCC Self-Audit: Catch Violations Before the EPA Does
Use this 3-phase SPCC self-audit protocol to find violations before an unannounced EPA or RRC inspection. Built for Texas Basin operators under 40 CFR Part 112.
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Decoding the Texas RRC: Key Statewide Rules Beyond the Drilling Permit
What the Texas Railroad Commission regulates and the key Statewide Rules for oil and gas operators: spacing, casing, flaring, disposal, and spill reporting.
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Your First 24 Hours: A Step-by-Step Oil Spill Response Action Plan
A step-by-step oil spill response plan for the first 24 hours: secure, assess, notify, and contain, with the RRC, EPA, and TCEQ reporting triggers that apply.
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How to Maintain Compliance Records for Audits and Inspections
A technical guide for energy operators on maintaining indisputable compliance records for EPA, RRC, and OSHA audits to achieve regulatory immunity in the Texas
Read Article → Project Management
Mastering MOC: A Disciplined Approach to Management of Change that Prevents Future Failures
A technical resource for energy professionals on mastering Management of Change (MOC) to prevent failures, using the Texas UIC Class VI primacy transfer as a ca
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Navigating RRC Rule 37: Well Spacing and Density Explained
A technical guide for Texas oil & gas operators on navigating RRC Rule 37 for well spacing, density, and exceptions to achieve regulatory immunity.
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Negotiating with Regulators: Strategies for Favorable Outcomes
A technical resource for Texas Basin operators on strategies for negotiating with regulators like the RRC and EPA to achieve favorable compliance outcomes.
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From NOR to Resolution: A Guide to Managing Site Remediation Projects
A technical guide for energy operators on managing site remediation from a Notice of Responsibility (NOR) to final resolution using consolidated oversight.
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The RCRA E&P Exemption: An Operator's Guide to Oilfield Waste
How the RCRA exploration and production (E&P) exemption works: which oilfield wastes are exempt, which are not, and how operators lose the exemption.
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Optical Gas Imaging (OGI) vs. Method 21: Choosing the Right LDAR Technology
OGI vs. EPA Method 21 for LDAR: how the two leak-detection methods compare on compliance, coverage, safety, and cost under NSPS Quad O for Texas operators.
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Permitting for New Pipelines: Navigating the Environmental Hurdles
A technical guide for Texas pipeline operators on navigating RRC, EPA, and OSHA permitting, focusing on Class VI primacy and achieving regulatory immunity.
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Post-Spill Soil and Water Sampling: A Scientific Protocol
A definitive scientific protocol for post-spill soil and water sampling in the Texas Basin, outlining a framework for regulatory compliance and risk mitigation.
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How to Prepare for a Surprise RRC or EPA Site Inspection
How Texas operators prepare for a surprise RRC or EPA site inspection: document readiness, physical site checks, and how to manage the inspection itself.
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How to Properly Document and Manifest E&P Waste Shipments
A technical guide for E&P operators on documenting and manifesting waste shipments in Texas, covering RRC/TCEQ rules, RCRA, and achieving regulatory compliance.
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Reporting a Spill to the RRC and EPA: Deadlines and Procedures
How to report an oil or produced-water spill to the RRC, the EPA via the NRC, and TCEQ: the triggers, the timing, and the forms Texas operators must file.
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Secondary Containment Requirements for Oilfield Tanks and Equipment
Secondary containment requirements for oilfield tanks: how to size it (the 110% rule and 25-year storm freeboard), qualifying materials, and Texas RRC Rule 8.
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The 5 Stages of a Greenfield Environmental Impact Assessment
A 5-stage technical framework for executing a Greenfield Environmental Impact Assessment in the Texas Basin to achieve regulatory immunity and ensure operationa
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Step-by-Step Guide to Air Permitting for a New Well Site
A step-by-step technical guide for oil and gas operators on achieving air permit compliance for new well sites in Texas, focusing on regulatory immunity.
Read Article → Safety
More Than a Red Button: How 'Stop Work Authority' is a Technician's Most Powerful Engineering Tool
A technical resource on how Stop Work Authority (SWA) functions as a critical engineering tool for risk mitigation and regulatory compliance in the energy secto
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Stormwater Permitting for O&G Construction Sites: A Quick Guide
A technical guide for Texas oil & gas operators on navigating TCEQ stormwater permitting (TXR150000) to ensure compliance and operational continuity.
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In-House vs. Outsourced Environmental Compliance: A Guide for Texas Operators
In-house vs. outsourced environmental compliance for Texas oil and gas operators: real costs, pros and cons, and how to decide which model fits your operation.
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Tier I vs. Tier II: Which SPCC Plan Does Your Facility Need?
A technical guide for Texas Basin operators on determining the correct SPCC Plan tier (Tier I vs. Tier II) based on EPA storage capacity and spill history crite
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The 5 Most Common Compliance Violations for Permian Basin Operators
The violations Permian operators are cited for most, across RCRA waste, LDAR, SPCC, UIC wells, and RRC reporting, and how to avoid each one.
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Understanding Emission Inventory Reporting Requirements
A definitive technical resource for Texas Basin operators on Emission Inventory reporting to the EPA, TCEQ, and RRC, focusing on regulatory immunity and scienti
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Understanding the EPA's Role in Oil & Gas: A Primer for Operators
A primer for Texas operators on how the EPA and RRC divide authority over air, water, and waste, and where their overlap creates compliance risk.
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NSPS OOOO / OOOOa / OOOOb / OOOOc (Quad O) Requirements: A Compliance Checklist
EPA NSPS Quad O (OOOO, OOOOa, OOOOb, OOOOc) for Texas operators: which subpart applies, LDAR, storage vessels, pneumatics, and the 2024 methane rules.
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What Is a Notice of Violation (NOV)? And What to Do Next
What a Notice of Violation (NOV) is, who issues them, the most common triggers, and how to respond, from acknowledgment to a corrective action plan.
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What Is an SPCC Plan? Requirements, Thresholds, and PE Certification
What an SPCC plan is, which facilities need one (the 1,320-gallon threshold), when a PE must certify it, what it must contain, and how often to update it.
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