To begin coordinated action against the rising threat of petroleum product theft in Texas, the inaugural meeting of the State Task Force on Petroleum Theft (STOPTheft) held its inaugural meeting Oct. 29 at the Austin headquarters of the Railroad Commission of Texas, with RRC Chairman Jim Wright presiding over the proceedings. Established during the 89th Legislative Session by Senate Bill (SB) 494, STOPTheft unites representatives from across the state’s energy industry, as well as federal and local law enforcement, with the goal of studying and making recommendations to help combat petroleum theft in Texas. The task force’s duties include reviewing product theft laws and regulations in other U.S. jurisdictions as well as international laws; analyzing the impact of theft on state tax collections and long-term economic impacts; making recommendations on law enforcement training to combat petroleum product theft and preparing a report to submit to the Governor and the Legislature.
Chairman Wright addressed the participants: “Each of you were selected for the valuable expertise and insight you bring to this task force. Your work in the coming year and wealth of knowledge will play a pivotal role in protecting our precious Texas natural resources. I look forward to working together to accomplish the goals set forth under SB 494 and putting a STOP to oilfield theft.”
During the inaugural meeting, members reviewed the language of SB 494 and officially voted to approve the STOPTheft charter. Discussion topics included strengthening collaboration between law enforcement and private operators, examining the impact of petroleum theft on state sales tax revenues, and determining how to identify and align existing theft data gathered by law enforcement and regulatory agencies. The task force will continue to meet at least quarterly.
