Arizona moves to hike drilling fees and unseal well records

Oil and gas commission; fees

Introduced· 2026-01-20

Who's it for

Who's it for: Everyday People

What it means for you

8/10Helps you

Good for everyday people ·

Cost shift

Plain‑English summary, cross‑checked against the official bill text.

This bill would let the state charge oil and gas companies more for drilling permits and make it harder for them to keep their well records a secret from the public.

Our take

What we think, in plain words.

Right now, oil and gas companies pay a measly $25 for a drilling permit, and their well records are automatically hidden from the public for a year. This bill fixes both problems by letting the state set fair fees and giving officials the power to release well data unless a company can prove it would actually hurt their business.

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The facts

What the bill actually says, no spin.

Removes the fixed $25 fee for oil, gas, and geothermal drilling permits, allowing the state to set new fees.
Removes the fixed $50 fee for requesting a commission hearing.
Ends the automatic one-year secrecy rule for new well records, leaving it up to the commission's discretion.
Requires companies to provide credible evidence of competitive harm if they want to keep their records hidden for longer.