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TITLE 16ECONOMIC REGULATION
PART 1RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS
CHAPTER 3OIL AND GAS DIVISION
RULE §3.30Memorandum of Understanding between the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)

    (A) Tank bottoms and other wastes from the storage of crude oil (whether foreign or domestic) before it enters the refinery are under the jurisdiction of the RRC. In addition, waste resulting from storage of crude oil at refineries is subject to the jurisdiction of the TCEQ.

    (B) Wastes generated from storage tanks that are part of the refinery and wastes resulting from the wholesale and retail marketing of refined products are subject to the jurisdiction of the TCEQ.

  (4) Underground hydrocarbon storage. The disposal of wastes, including saltwater, resulting from the construction, creation, operation, maintenance, closure, or abandonment of an "underground hydrocarbon storage facility" is subject to the jurisdiction of the RRC, provided the terms "hydrocarbons" and "underground hydrocarbon storage facility" have the meanings set out in Texas Natural Resources Code, §91.201.

  (5) Underground natural gas storage. The disposal of wastes resulting from the construction, operation, or abandonment of an "underground natural gas storage facility" is subject to the jurisdiction of the RRC, provided that the terms "natural gas" and "storage facility" have the meanings set out in Texas Natural Resources Code, §91.173.

  (6) Transportation of crude oil or natural gas.

    (A) Jurisdiction over pipeline-related activities. The RRC has jurisdiction over matters related to pipeline safety for pipelines in Texas, as referenced in §8.1 of this title (relating to General Applicability and Standards) pursuant to Chapter 121 of the Texas Utilities Code and Chapter 117 of the Texas Natural Resources Code. The RRC has jurisdiction over spill response and remediation of releases from pipelines transporting crude oil, natural gas, and condensate that originate from exploration and production facilities to the refinery gate. The RRC has jurisdiction over waste generated by construction and operation of pipelines used to transport crude oil, natural gas, and condensate on an oil and gas lease, and from exploration and production facilities to the refinery gate. The RRC is responsible for water quality certification issues related to construction and operation of pipelines used to transport crude oil, natural gas, and condensate on an oil and gas lease, and from exploration and production facilities to the refinery gate. The RRC has jurisdiction over waste generated by construction and operation of pipelines transporting carbon dioxide.

    (B) Crude oil and natural gas are transported by railcars, tank trucks, barges, tankers, and pipelines. The RRC has jurisdiction over waste from the transportation of crude oil by pipeline, regardless of the crude oil source (foreign or domestic) prior to arrival at a refinery. The RRC also has jurisdiction over waste from the transportation by pipeline of natural gas, including natural gas liquids, prior to the use of the natural gas in any manufacturing process or as a residential or industrial fuel. The transportation wastes subject to the jurisdiction of the RRC include wastes from pipeline compressor or pressure stations and wastes from pipeline hydrostatic pressure tests and other pipeline operations. These wastes include waste hydrocarbons (including used oil), treating and cleaning chemicals, filters (including used oil filters), scraper trap sludge, trash, domestic sewage, wastes contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) (including transformers, capacitors, ballasts, and soils), soils contaminated with mercury from leaking mercury meters, asbestos insulation, transite pipe, and hydrostatic test waters.

    (C) The TCEQ has jurisdiction over waste from transportation of refined products by pipeline.

    (D) The TCEQ also has jurisdiction over wastes associated with transportation of crude oil and natural gas, including natural gas liquids, by railcar, tank truck, barge, or tanker.

  (7) Reclamation plants.

    (A) The RRC has jurisdiction over wastes from reclamation plants that process wastes from activities associated with the exploration, development, or production of oil, gas, or geothermal resources, such as lease tank bottoms. Waste management activities of reclamation plants for other wastes are subject to the jurisdiction of the TCEQ.

    (B) The RRC has jurisdiction over the conservation and prevention of waste of crude oil and therefore must approve all movements of crude oil-containing materials to reclamation plants. The applicable statute and regulations consist primarily of reporting requirements for accounting purposes.

  (8) Refining of oil.

    (A) The management of wastes resulting from oil refining operations, including spent caustics, spent catalysts, still bottoms or tars, and American Petroleum Institute (API) separator sludges, is subject to the jurisdiction of the TCEQ. The processing of light ends from the distillation and cracking of crude oil or crude oil products is considered to be a refining operation. The term "refining" does not include the processing of natural gas or natural gas liquids.

    (B) The RRC has jurisdiction over refining activities for the conservation and the prevention of waste of crude oil. The RRC requires that all crude oil streams into or out of a refinery be reported for accounting purposes. In addition, the RRC requires that materials recycled and used as a fuel, such as still bottoms or waste crude oil, be reported.

  (9) Natural gas or natural gas liquids processing plants (including gas fractionation facilities) and pressure maintenance or repressurizing plants. Wastes resulting from activities associated with these facilities include produced water, cooling tower water, sulfur bead, sulfides, spent caustics, sweetening agents, spent catalyst, waste hydrocarbons (including used oil), asbestos insulation, wastes contaminated with PCBs (including transformers, capacitors, ballasts, and soils), treating and cleaning chemicals, filters, trash, domestic sewage, and dehydration materials. These wastes are subject to the jurisdiction of the RRC under Texas Natural Resources Code, §1.101. Disposal of waste from activities associated with natural gas or natural gas liquids processing plants (including gas fractionation facilities), and pressure maintenance or repressurizing plants by injection is subject to the jurisdiction of the RRC under Texas Water Code, Chapter 27. However, until delegation of authority under RCRA to the RRC, the TCEQ shall have jurisdiction over wastes resulting from these activities that are not exempt from federal hazardous waste regulation under RCRA and that are considered hazardous under applicable federal rules.

  (10) Manufacturing processes.

    (A) Wastes that result from the use of natural gas, natural gas liquids, or products refined from crude oil in any manufacturing process, such as the production of petrochemicals or plastics, or from the manufacture of carbon black, are industrial wastes subject to the jurisdiction of the TCEQ. The term "manufacturing process" does not include the processing (including fractionation) of natural gas or natural gas liquids at natural gas or natural gas liquids processing plants.

    (B) The RRC has jurisdiction under Texas Natural Resources Code, Chapter 87, to regulate the use of natural gas in the production of carbon black.

    (C) Biofuels. The TCEQ has jurisdiction over wastes associated with the manufacturing of biofuels and biodiesel. TCEQ Regulatory Guidance Document RG-462 contains additional information regarding biodiesel manufacturing in the state of Texas.

  (11) Commercial service company facilities and training facilities.

    (A) The TCEQ has jurisdiction over wastes generated at facilities, other than actual exploration, development, or production sites (field sites), where oil and gas industry workers are trained. In addition, the TCEQ has jurisdiction over wastes generated at facilities where materials, processes, and equipment associated with oil and gas industry operations are researched, developed, designed, and manufactured. However, wastes generated from tests of materials, processes, and equipment at field sites are under the jurisdiction of the RRC.

    (B) The TCEQ also has jurisdiction over waste generated at commercial service company facilities operated by persons providing equipment, materials, or services (such as drilling and work over rig rental and tank rental; equipment repair; drilling fluid supply; and acidizing, fracturing, and cementing services) to the oil and gas industry. These wastes include the following wastes when they are generated at commercial service company facilities: empty sacks, containers, and drums; drum, tank, and truck rinsate; sandblast media; painting wastes; spent solvents; spilled chemicals; waste motor oil; and unused fracturing and acidizing fluids.

    (C) The term "commercial service company facility" does not include a station facility such as a warehouse, pipeyard, or equipment storage facility belonging to an oil and gas operator and used solely for the support of that operator's own activities associated with the exploration, development, or production activities.

Cont'd...

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