West Texas News

LUBBOCK – A new oil and gas field office will soon open in Lubbock in order to efficiently distribute energy across the Permian Basin’s northern section, according to the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC).

West Texas’ Permian Basin is the leading oil and gas producing region across the United States, as well as the nation's top energy production region. The U.S. Geological Survey projects that the Permian Basin is home to roughly 66 billion oil barrels, as well as almost 300 trillion cubic feet of natural gas along with 21 billion natural gas liquid barrels in the accompanying Midland and Delaware Basins.

RRC Executive Director Wei Tang spoke with Business & Industry Connection on how the new office will benefit the Lubbock area.

“The new Lubbock office will enhance our regulatory capability in the region,” Wang said. “It is a key strategic decision to address both operational and recruiting challenges we have experienced in our Western regional offices in recent years. The opening of our Lubbock office enables RRC staff to keep pace with the energy industry’s growth in West Texas and the Permian Basin, and ultimately to ensure Texas oil and gas is produced safely and in compliance with our rules.”

A district boundaries map highlights how the Lubbock office is close to the center of District 8A and will perform among RRC’s already established oil and gas districts in the state. The office is expected to serve Bailey, Borden, Cochran, Cottle, Crosby, Dawson, Dickens, Floyd, Gaines, Garza, Hale, Hockley, Kent, King, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn, Motley, Scurry, Terry and Yoakum counties.

District 8A’s oil and natural gas resources were previously overseen by the Abilene Oil & Gas District office.

The Lubbock office has organized a grand opening celebration for this spring.