By Texas law, anyone drilling for oil and gas or reentering an existing oil and gas well must have a plan for the well design that is approved by the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC). Part of the plan must include use of surface casing and cement to protect fresh water (generally a salinity of less than 1000 mg/l) and useable water (generally a salinity of less than 3000 mg/l). Surface casing also helps protect the well from caving in and blowing out.

The well operator must have a letter from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Surface Casing Team, which is then provided to the RRC, which outlines where fresh and usable-quality water is located. The RRC uses the recommendations in the TCEQ Surface Casing Letter for designing well requirements.

For a full explanation of the procedures and available resources for obtaining the Surface Casing Letter, please visit the TCEQ Surface Casing Page  that includes sample application forms, surface casing rules, expedited application procedures, and contact information.

To proceed in acquiring surface casing information click the arrow below: