Susan L. Cisco, Railroad Commission of Texas
Paper may soon be eliminated from the well permitting process at the Railroad Commission of Texas ("Commission") by an electronic commerce system that captures, stores, and transmits oil or gas well permitting information. With a few computer keystrokes and mouse clicks, Burlington Resources filed and the Commission approved the first drilling permit electronically through the ECAP (Electronic Compliance and Approval Process) system in a demonstration on May 11, 2000. A collaboration among the U. S. Department of Energy, the oil and gas industry, and the Commission, ECAP is expected to save more than $17 million annually, improve communication, and streamline regulatory processes through the use of Internet-based technologies, relational databases, document imaging, and workflow software.