Texas creating task forces to target Permian Basin oil field thefts
ODESSA, Texas (AP) — At least three times a week, Darin Mitchell gets the call.
Oil drums have been stolen. Copper wires were yanked. Other field equipment at an oil and gas facility was pilfered.
The Winkler County Sheriff dispatches his officers to investigate, but they rarely catch the crime in the act or find the stolen product, worth tens of thousands of dollars.
The West Texas county's ten deputies are overextended, policing 841 square miles, a combination of neighborhoods, a downtown area and the oil and gas facilities surrounding them. He doesn't have the manpower — or the money, he said — to investigate every instance.
'I don't have a dedicated person to just sit out there,' he said. 'The county can't afford just to hire somebody full-time to do oil field thefts.'
The Texas Legislature has stepped in, passing a suite of bills that lawmakers, the sheriff, and oil and gas industry leaders said are crucial to combat what they say is a billion-dollar loss in oil field thefts in the Permian Basin, the state's largest oil field.
Gov. Greg Abbott signed all three this month in Midland, saying in a statement that Texas is 'bringing the full weight of the law to crack down on oil theft in the Permian Basin to protect the critical role energy development plays in fueling our economy.'
Written by state Rep. Drew Darby, R-San Angelo, and Sen. Kevin Sparks, R-Midland, the bills instruct the Department of Public Safety and the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates the state's oil and gas industry, to create task forces that will investigate oil field robberies. The effort will cost taxpayers nearly $5 million.
House Bill 48, by Darby, establishes a DPS-created oil field theft prevention unit. The members comprising it can enforce existing laws, in addition to providing training, resources and strategies specific to deterring such thefts. The task force is also charged with conducting public awareness campaigns. Every two years, the body must report back to the legislature.
In a statement to The Texas Tribune, Darby called oil field theft 'a complex, highly coordinated criminal enterprise, often with direct connections to cartels. This escalating threat poses serious risks not only to the oil and gas industry — a cornerstone of our state's economy — but also to the safety of our communities and the survival of small, hardworking businesses.'
He said his bills are meant to 'systematically take apart' criminal networks profiting from energy infrastructure.
Senate Bill 494, authored by Sparks, directs the Railroad Commission to create a second task force to prevent the theft of petroleum products. This body must consist of proxies from the oil and gas industry, an oil and gas trade association and law enforcement agencies. They will conduct ongoing studies regarding theft, review the effectiveness of laws and analyze whether local and county governments are losing money in sales taxes as a result.
Another Sparks bill, Senate Bill 1806, authorizes DPS to inspect oil field cargo tanks they suspect of being used to transport stolen oil, take samples from the vehicle and study them in a crime laboratory. The bill authorizes apprehending officers to return the product or sell it and reimburse the company from which it was stolen.
The bill also increases the penalties for oil and gas theft. Transporting petroleum products to a waste disposal location is a felony with a penalty of at least $100,000; purchasing petroleum products without authorization from railroad commission can bring a penalty of up to $100,000; storing, purchasing or trading a petroleum product without authorization from the railroad commission can result in in a penalty of up to $10,000.
Ed Longanecker, president of the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association, a trade group, said the bills were their top priority. He said one of their largest members lost $1.1 million in crude oil and equipment theft and damages between 2023 and 2024.
'And, again, this is just one of thousands of operators in Texas that have been victims of these crimes,' Longanecker said.
A task force led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, he said, estimated that operators in the Permian Basin lose up to $300,000 a month in stolen tools, pipes and valves.
'Considering more than 2 billion barrels of oil and condensate were produced in Texas in 2024, the loss is estimated to be in the billions of dollars annually,' he said.
___
This story was originally published by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
31 minutes ago
- Fox News
Shedeur Sanders' interaction with police after getting pulled over for speeding revealed in bodycam footage
Bodycam footage has emerged of Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders being pulled over for speeding by an Ohio police officer. Sanders, a member of the Cleveland Browns for less than two months, was pulled over for speeding twice in the month of June, police records show. Sanders, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, was cited for allegedly driving 101 mph in a 60 mph zone, while a woman identified as Jasmine Hammond was driving in another vehicle nearby, according to footage from the most recent incident June 17. The footage showed an officer pulling Sanders over and approaching the quarterback. "I got you at 101 miles per hour," the officer says. "I got her at 92." Hammond was ultimately let go with a warning, an officer said. "I'm going to give your girl a break," the officer added. "I'm gonna cut you a break," the officer told Sanders in the clip. "I'm not going to give her a ticket. … But 101, I got a dashcam and stuff, man." The speeding tickets at the start of Sanders' NFL career have raised concerns. Records also indicate Sanders failed to appear for a June 13 arraignment for the first speeding ticket he received June 6. The rookie quarterback addressed those traffic tickets while appearing at teammate David Njoku's charity softball game Thursday. "I made some wrong choices personally, and I can own up to them," Sanders said, via Pro Football Talk. "I made some, you know, not great choices. … I learned." The former Colorado standout entered April's draft with many projecting him as a first-round selection. It took until the fifth round for the young signal-caller to hear his name called. Sanders was drafted 144th overall by the Cleveland Browns. His slide in the draft began after the New York Giants traded up to 25 to select Jaxson Dart. Then, on the second day of the draft, three other quarterbacks — Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe and Dillon Gabriel — were all taken. Gabriel also went to the Browns. Questions about Sanders' character arose heading into the draft and have persisted in the months since. The Tuesday before the draft, NFL Media released a summary of the top 18 prospects in this year's class. Sanders' section included comments from an anonymous assistant coach, who said Sanders was "the worst formal interview I've ever been in in my life. He's so entitled. He takes unnecessary sacks. He never plays on time. He has horrible body language. He blames teammates. … But the biggest thing is, he's not that good." An anonymous longtime executive added, "It didn't go great in our interview. He wants to dictate what he's going to do and what's best for him. He makes you feel small." Then, weeks after Sanders was drafted, a CBS analyst recalled when Sanders skipped out on something he was "supposed to be doing." Star players, normally quarterbacks, and coaches often meet with broadcasters in the days leading up to a game. Before a game against Colorado State, Sanders skipped one of those meetings, according to CBS' Ross Tucker. Tucker said Sanders was initially supposed to speak with CBS on a Wednesday, but it was pushed back two days because he was getting treatment for an injury. But he never showed up to the rescheduled meeting. "We weren't really given a reason, but we did not talk to Shedeur at the production meetings, which, as you know, starting quarterback, especially high-profile player like that, very unusual. I walk out of the hotel, and there's a pickup truck in front of the hotel, and Shedeur is just sitting in the back of the pickup truck," Tucker said on "The Dan Patrick Show." "It just made me wonder. People asked me, NFL people asked me after that game, 'What did you think of Shedeur?' And I said, 'I didn't get to talk to him.' Maybe he's the greatest kid ever, maybe he's a bad kid. I don't know. But I told them the story, and they just kind of nodded their head. "And it just made me wonder how many stories are there like that in which Shedeur did things that were not customary. He did things non-traditionally. It certainly seemed like that was the deal with a lot of the combine interviews and meetings with teams. And especially at that position, I think it makes them very nervous that already in college he was getting out of things that you're supposed to be doing. What's he gonna be like if he's a first-round pick in the NFL Draft?" Sanders, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, is one of several quarterbacks competing for the Browns' starting role. While Joe Flacco brings the most experience in the group, Kenny Pickett has also started games in the NFL. Dillon Gabriel and Sanders were both part of the Browns' 2025 draft class. Deshuan Watson vowed to return "better than ever" after reinjuring his Achilles tendon in January, but it remains to be seen whether he will take snaps in 2025. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Fox News
32 minutes ago
- Fox News
Eric Dane celebrates the wins following ALS diagnosis
All times eastern FOX News Radio Live Channel Coverage WATCH LIVE: Sen Sanders holds 'Fighting Oligarchy' rally in McAllen, Texas
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
JD Vance wades into the immigration thicket: From the Politics Desk
Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team's latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. Happy first day of summer! In today's edition, Jonathan Allen explores the challenges awaiting Vice President JD Vance as he lands in Los Angeles. Plus, we dive into President Donald Trump's penchant for a giving a two-week timetable on big issues. And Dylan Ebs answers this week's reader question on ranked choice voting. Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here. — Adam Wollner Vice President JD Vance is wading into the immigration thicket today by traveling to Los Angeles, where Marines and National Guard forces have been deployed to provide backup for federal agents executing raids. For Vance, it's tricky territory because President Donald Trump keeps changing his mind — or at least his rhetoric — on immigration enforcement. On one hand, Trump is anxious to fulfill a campaign promise to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. The MAGA base demands it. And Vance, who hopes to inherit the MAGA base, seldom strays far from its orthodoxy. But on the other hand, Trump has wavered on parts of his own mass deportation plan. After Trump said that workers in certain sectors — farming, hotels and restaurants — would not be targeted in raids, he quickly reversed that policy. Vance finds himself taking on a more visible role just as the MAGA movement is feeling the strain of a president torn between ideology and popularity. It's nothing new for a vice president to land in the middle of a vexing issue. Kamala Harris had the border portfolio in Joe Biden's administration. If Trump's immigration policies end up being a success, Vance will no doubt profit from it. But if they don't, he may suffer. Read more: Appeals court says Trump can keep control of California National Guard troops, by Dennis Romero President Donald Trump's two-week timeline to decide on whether the U.S. will strike Iran's nuclear sites is a familiar one. 'Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,' he said in a statement issued through White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Since the beginning of May, Trump has promised action on questions or decisions in 'two weeks' around 10 times — and he used the same timeline repeatedly during his first term in office. 'We're going to be announcing something, I would say over the next two or three weeks, that will be phenomenal in terms of tax and developing our aviation infrastructure,' Trump said of tax overhaul plans on Feb. 9, 2017. He released a one-page outline of the plan 11 weeks later, according to a Bloomberg review that year. He went on to repeatedly cite the time frame for impending actions on health care and infrastructure that never materialized during his first four years in office. Trump's use of the timing prediction has accelerated in recent weeks — and he's used it on items ranging from trade deals and tariffs to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Much of what he's predicted hasn't come to pass, with questions he's said he'd answer remaining unanswered. Read more on Trump's frequent two-week timeline → Catch up on our latest reporting on the Israel-Iran conflict: Trump is relying on a small circle of advisers as he weighs Iran strikes, by Courtney Kube, Carol E. Lee, Garrett Haake and Dan De Luce What could happen if Trump does decide to bomb Iran's main nuclear site, by Alexander Smith Iran not sure it can trust America after Israeli attack, Iran's foreign minister tells NBC News, by Dan De Luce 'She's wrong': Trump breaks with Gabbard on Iran assessment, by Vaughn Hillyard Follow live updates → Thanks to everyone who emailed us! This week's question comes from Thomas Gysegem: 'Will there be ranked voting in the New York City mayoral primary? Please explain how ranked voting works.' To answer that, we turned to our intern, Dylan Ebs, who just put together a helpful explainer on the process. Ranked choice voting, which New York is utilizing for next week's mayoral primary election, is a system that lets voters rank candidates in order of preference rather than pick just one. The number of candidates voters can rank depends on the specific rules in an area. In New York City, voters can rank up to five in one race. Voters don't have to fill their ballots, though. A voter whose heart is set on only one candidate can pick just one. But if that candidate doesn't get the most votes, that voter won't have a say in later rounds of counting. After the votes are tabulated, the last-place candidate is eliminated. Ballots from voters who supported that candidate then have the next choice counted. If no candidate has hit 50%, then counting continues, eliminating another last-place candidate and counting the next-ranked choices on all those ballots in the next round. The process continues until a candidate reaches majority support and wins. ⚖️ In the courts: A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to release pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil from immigration custody. Read more → ⚖️ In the courts, cont.: A federal judge in Massachusetts again blocked the government's attempt to revoke Harvard's ability to enroll international students. Read more → ⚖️ SCOTUS watch: The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that victims of terrorism can sue Palestinian entities in U.S. courts. Read more → ⚖️ SCOTUS watch, cont.: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson criticized her colleagues in a scathing dissent in a case involving vehicle emissions regulations. Read more → 🚗 Road rage arrest: An Ohio man who allegedly ran GOP Rep. Max Miller off the road while waving a Palestinian flag and hurling antisemitic threats has been arrested. Read more → 🗽 Big Apple showdown: Progressive candidates in New York City's mayoral election are banding together in an effort to stop former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's comeback tour. Read more → ➡️ Split screen: Trump did not formally mark Juneteenth yesterday and said the U.S. has 'too many non-working holidays,' while his predecessor, Joe Biden, celebrated the occasion at a Black church in Texas. Read more → 🗳️ Running it back: Trump called for a special prosecutor to investigate the 2020 election, which he lost to Biden more than four years ago. Read more → That's all From the Politics Desk for now. Today's newsletter was compiled by Adam Wollner and Dylan Ebs. If you have feedback — likes or dislikes — email us at politicsnewsletter@ And if you're a fan, please share with everyone and anyone. They can sign up here. This article was originally published on
