The growing amount of oilfield theft in the Permian Basin of West Texas reached the boiling point in recent months, prompting the state legislature to create a task force to target the thieves.
In signing three bills to go after the criminals, Gov. Greg Abbott called it an effort “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.”
The oil and gas industry says the laws were needed to fight a billion-dollar loss in oil field thefts in the state’s largest oil field.
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