Texas oil and gas regulators are looking for ways to reduce natural gas flaring, a particular problem  in the Permian Basin, by providing incentives and requiring operators to justify why they need exemptions.

Draft rules were approved Tuesday by the three-member Railroad Commission (RRC), and will now undergo a 30-day comment period.

Chairman Wayne Christian said the RRC “took an important first step in ensuring we have the data necessary to get an accurate view of the scope of flaring in Texas. Since the downturn, the rate of flaring has gone down with more than 99.5% of the gas produced in the month of May sold and beneficially used to generate electricity, cook dinner or make hundreds of consumer products. 

“Now is the opportune time to implement meaningful...