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AUSTIN-The Texas Railroad Commission issued a total of 836 original drilling permits in February 2022 compared to 606 in February 2021. The February 2022 total includes 700 permits to drill new oil or gas wells, eight to re-enter plugged wellbores, and 119 for recompletions of existing wellbores. The breakdown of well types for original drilling permits in February 2022 is 181 oil, 81 gas, 518 oil or gas, 46 injection, and 10 other permits. In February 2022, commission staff processed 580 oil, 115 gas, and 124 injection completions for new drills, re-entries, and recompletions, compared to 482 oil, 107 gas, and 89 injection completions in February 2021. Total well completions processed for 2022 year-to-date for new drills, re-entries, and recompletions are 1,747 compared to 1,663 recorded during the same period in 2021. In the Panhandle, four permits to drill oil or gas holes were issued in February, while new oil completions and four gas completions were reported. Detailed data on drilling permits and well completions for the month can be found at this link: https://www.rrc.texas.gov/oil-and-gas/research-and-statistics/drilling-information/monthly-drilling-completion-and-plugging-summaries/.

AUSTIN—Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced last week that he would send cities, counties, transit systems, and special-purpose taxing districts $913.3 million in local sales tax allocations for March, 19.8 percent more than in March 2021. These allocations are based on sales made in January by businesses that report tax monthly.

In February, the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, NRI, released its Texas Land Trends program 2022 Landowner Survey to learn more about the needs, preferences, concerns and challenges landowners face regarding everyday management of their land. Now NRI would like to hear from Texas landowners again—this time, about water.

AMARILLO—The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is conducting travel surveys in our region. These surveys provide information about local travel patterns. Results of the survey will assist TxDOT and their partners when making decisions about transportation projects.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas—Texas A&M Forest Service awarded grants to 81 recipients to conduct prescribed burns this year. For the 2022 fiscal year, the agency has approved $522,950 in grant funds to private landowners in Texas with a goal to treat 18,250 acres.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service offices in Ochiltree and Lipscomb counties will host the annual Northeast Panhandle Crops Conference for area crop producers on March 3. The conference will be held at the Ochiltree County Expo Center, 402 Expo Drive, in Perryton.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeks public comment on a draft habitat conservation plan (HCP) and draft environmental assessment covering potential impacts to the lesser prairie-chicken from oil and gas development in the Great Plains. The HCP would cover all activities associated with oil and gas development across the lesser prairie-chicken’s range in Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico.

AUSTIN—The Texas Railroad Commission issued a total of 820 original drilling permits in January 2022 compared to 512 in January 2021. The January 2022 total includes 713 permits to drill new oil or gas wells, nine to reenter plugged wellbores, and 85 for recompletions of existing wellbores. The breakdown of well types for original drilling permits in January 2022 is 198 oil, 79 gas, 497 oil or gas, 35 injection, and 11 other permits. In January 2022, Commission staff processed 532 oil, 92 gas, and 279 injection completions for new drills, re-entries, and recompletions, compared to 583 oil, 104 gas, and 66 injection completions in January 2021. In the Panhandle area, the RRC issued 12 permits to drill new oil or gas holes and processed nine new oil completions and two new gas completions during January. Total well completions processed for 2022 year-to-date for new drills, re-entries, and recompletions are 903 compared to 753 recorded during the same period in 2021. Detailed data on drilling permits and well completions for the month can be found at this link: https://www.rrc.texas.gov.

Canadian Water Well employee Ezequiel Cervantes was elected by his peers to the Texas Ground Water Association board of directors during their annual convention and trade show, which was held Jan. 26-28 in Frisco. Ezequiel was also awarded the prestigious Robert J. “Bob” Neely Award, which recognizes a pump installer or well driller who has performed above and beyond for the industry and the Association. The TGWA is an advocacy and educational organization which represents approximately 1,200 licensed water-well drillers and pump installers around the state of Texas. It is operated under a board of directors elected by the membership, and consists of the officers, 12 directors-at-large, and a chapter director from each local chapter.