On May 22, 2013, the Tennessee General Assembly’s joint committee on government operations approved Tennessee’s first rules regulating the use of hydraulic fracturing to extract oil and natural gas from wells.  The new regulations take effect June 18, 2013, and address various technical requirements applying to fracking operations, including equipment used, casing and plugging of wells, and environmental cleanup and protection.  Fracking activities that use more than 200,000 cumulative gallons of water are subject to additional requirements, including a 30-day public notice and comment period. 

Oil and gas companies have been active in recent months acquiring rights to develop oil and gas in geologic formations in Tennessee that appear well suited to development using hydraulic fracturing methods.

For more information on the new regulations or for assistance related to oil and gas leasing and drilling, please contact Rick Hitchcock or Willa Kalaidjian.