Texas Natural Resources Code - NAT RES § 85.202. Purposes of Rules and Orders

(1) to prevent waste, as defined in Section 85.046 of this code, of oil and gas in drilling and producing operations and in the storage, piping, and distribution of oil and gas;

(2) to require dry or abandoned wells to be plugged in a manner that will confine oil, gas, and water in the strata in which they are found and prevent them from escaping into other strata;

(3) for the drilling of wells and preserving a record of the drilling of wells;

(4) to require wells to be drilled and operated in a manner that will prevent injury to adjoining property;

(5) to prevent oil and gas and water from escaping from the strata in which they are found into other strata;

(6) to provide rules for shooting wells and for separating oil from gas;

(7) to require records to be kept and reports made;  and

(8) to provide for issuance of permits, tenders, and other evidences of permission when the issuance of the permits, tenders, or permission is necessary or incident to the enforcement of the commission's rules or orders for the prevention of waste.