HB 148 Summary

• Prohibits land application (surface disposal) and deep well injection of brine resulting from oil and gas operations, eliminating previous methods of brine disposal.

• Prohibits conversion of wells to uses other than their original purpose by creating a new standalone provision in section 1509.051.

• Eliminates the per-barrel injection fee (5-20 cents per barrel) previously levied on injection well operators, removing the fee structure that capped at 500,000 barrels per year per well.

• Removes references to section 1509.226 (surface application exemption for brine) and repeals that section entirely to enforce the land application prohibition.

• Restricts brine disposal in secondary/tertiary recovery operations, prohibiting brine disposal in association with enhanced recovery methods while still allowing injection of non-brine fluids and carbon dioxide for recovery purposes.