Flaring: Triples Over Two Years In The Permian -- March 15, 2020

Published in S&P Global Platts back on March 6, 2020. The Permian:

• flaring triples 
• tightening of regulations likely
• federal government could start regulatory push next year (2021)

By the way, this is a big deal here in Texas -- lots of ads.

Flaring, or burning off associated natural gas during oil production, has roughly tripled in two years in the Permian. And, as flaring has skyrocketed, so have the calls to curb it. But there is little agreement on how that should be done.

"We want to reduce flaring ... the question is how we do it," Texas Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton recently told reporters.

Sitton, a Republican, lost his re-election campaign in this week's primary election. James Wright, the Republican who defeated him, has yet to outline a plan for flaring. But both Democrats still vying for their party's nomination in November's election have said they plan to make the state's flaring permitting process stricter.

Either Democrat faces long odds of victory in November, but even if one bucks Texas voting trends, it is unclear how much one new member of the three-member commission may be able to do.

To put this in perspective (with a bit of hyperbole): replace Lynn Helms with St Greta.

Okay: a lot of hyperbole. But somehow I needed to understand why this has become such a big political issue in Texas. I think it was the #1 political ad running in Texas before the primary.

Again, going into the general election:

Sitton, a Republican, lost his re-election campaign in this week's primary election. James Wright, the Republican who defeated him, has yet to outline a plan for flaring.

But both Democrats still vying for their party's nomination in November's election have said they plan to make the state's flaring permitting process stricter.