Oil & Gas Well Permit
A well includes and means any hole or holes, bore or bores, to any sand, formation, strata or depth, which is or are drilled, bored, sunk, dug or put down for the purpose of either exploring for or ascertaining the existence of any oil, gas, or liquid hydrocarbon, or for the purpose of producing and recovering any oil, gas, liquid hydrocarbon, or any of them.
Drilling must begin within 90 days from the date of the permit, or the permit shall be forfeited; forfeiture shall not affect the right of the applicant to apply for another permit.
Failure to keep the bond or alternative security in full force and effect, in accordance with the terms hereof, is unlawful and shall cause a revocation of the permit.
Completed Oil and Gas Well Permit application, including the following information and documentation:
- Oil and Gas Well Permit Application to include:
- The name and address of the applicant or corporation
- If the applicant is a partnership, include the names and addresses of all parties on a separate page
- Identifying Information for the proposed well to include:
- Drilling Unit Number
- Block Number
- Lambert Coordinates
- Well Type (Oil/Gas)
- Proposed Casing
- Square Footage of Drilling Unit
- The name and address of the applicant or corporation
- Plat by a licensed surveyor showing the location of the proposed well with respect to unit boundaries
- Railroad Commission Form W-1
- Filling fee stated in the form of a cashier’s check, for this provision in the city fee schedule, payable to the City of Houston
- Notice of Application and Proof of Publication
- Description of proposed casing program (TCEQ “Depth of Usable-Quality Ground Water to be Protected”)
- $50,000 bond per well ($100,000 maximum), approved by the City Attorney
- Existing wells with no new drilling $15,000 per well ($30,000 maximum)
- Liability Insurance (Insurance Certificate and Copy of Endorsements)
- Topographic Map of Surface Location
Submit application at the HPC building located at 1002 Washington Ave., 3rd floor, Houston, TX 77002.
Mail to: Houston Public Works Impact Fee Administration Section P.O. Box 2688 Houston, TX 77252-2688
No filing fee required if previous owner has transferred or assigned wells.
Surveyor sealed plat showing distances from lease lines, drilling unit lines, structures, roads, 1000 feet from 45-foot contour at Lake Houston, and other items as listed in Code of Ordinances.
Submit plans to 1002 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77002.
- All permits
- Blowout Preventers
- Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan
- Muffler NWP-39 Well Pad
- possibly Storm Water Quality Permit if greater than one acre
Inspection is random, but inspectors will call the operator before visiting.