Geothermal Energy – Who owns the heat?
To develop the state of Texas’ geothermal resources quickly and effectively, the Natural Resources Code Title 5 aims to protect the environment, correlative rights, and to conserve natural resources by defining rules around exploration, development, and production of geothermal energy and associated resources and by-products in Texas. The Natural Resources Code Title 5: Geothermal Energy and Associated Resources, Chapter 141 has a new addition, Section 141.004. This new section addresses the question of who owns the heat. 88(R) Senate Bill 785 introduced this addition of section 141.004 and amends the Natural Resources code 141.003(5) to define heat as a by-product that does not include a mineral or oil & gas products.
Thank you, Texas Geothermal Energy Alliance, for helping make this happen and advancing the development of geothermal in Texas. They made Texas energy history with this legislative session!
Matt Welch, Barry Smitherman, Ben Sebree, Cindy D. Taff, Carrie Simmons, Jamie Beard, Jackson Marshall Grimes, Bridget Silva, Malcolm Ross, Derek Adams, PhD and many others!
https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/html/SB00785S.htm