Relating to the authority of the Railroad Commission of Texas to permit the release into the air of natural gas from a gas well.

SB 1216 prohibits natural gas from escaping into the air from gas wells after 10 days of encountering the gas or perforating the casing, whichever is later. It allows the Railroad Commission of Texas to permit additional flaring only if operators demonstrate necessity (e.g., well cleaning or pipeline repairs) and show they made a good-faith effort to capture, sell, or use the gas productively. The bill requires operators to prove pipeline connections are unfeasible or demand exceeds capacity, and any flared gas counts against their production allowance. The Railroad Commission must adopt implementing rules by December 1, 2025, and the law takes effect September 1, 2025. This directly affects oil and gas operators in Texas who manage gas wells.