In a statement posted on its website recently, the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) announced that its commissioners had unanimously elected Commissioner Christi Craddick to serve as Chairman of the three-member Commission.
The election “reaffirm[s] … [Craddick’s] leadership of the state’s oldest regulatory agency and one of the nation’s most influential energy regulators,” the RRC outlined in the statement.
“As Chairman, Craddick will continue leading the Commission as it oversees Texas’ oil and natural gas industry, pipeline safety, natural gas utilities, critical energy infrastructure, and the state’s surface coal and uranium mining operations,” it added.
“The Commission regulates an industry that supports millions of jobs, generates billions in state and local tax revenue, and plays a vital role in meeting the nation’s growing energy needs,” it continued.
Craddick, who has previously served as RRC Chairman, takes over from Jim Wright, who stays on at the RRC as commissioner. Craddick and Wright are joined by RRC Commissioner Wayne Christian, who has also served as RRC Chairman.
“Since first being elected statewide in 2012, Craddick has focused on strengthening the agency by modernizing its operations, enhancing transparency and ensuring Texas maintains a predictable regulatory framework that encourages responsible energy development,” the RRC noted in its statement.
“During her tenure, the Commission has made significant investments in technology modernization, expanded efforts to address orphaned wells and continued to implement legislative priorities to improve efficiency and accountability,” it added.
A bio page on Craddick available on the RRC website states that Craddick “is in the forefront of the newest wave of conservatives in leadership roles in Texas”.
The bio page highlights that Craddick was “raised in a strong conservative household, retained as legal counsel by prominent Texas firms, and shaped by more than a decade as a trusted political adviser”. It also points out that Craddick has “championed an Information Technology overhaul at the Commission, seeking improvements that would upgrade the Geographic Information System, increase public access to the agency’s data, and speed up inspections and permitting times”.
Craddick is a native of Midland and earned both her Bachelor’s Degree as a Plan II graduate and her Doctorate of Jurisprudence from The University of Texas at Austin, the bio page notes. During her career as an attorney, she specialized in oil and gas, water, tax issues, electric deregulation, and environmental policy, it adds.
‘Deeply Honored’
Commenting on her new appointment in the RRC statement, Craddick said, “I am deeply honored by the confidence my fellow Commissioners have placed in me”.
“Texas is the energy capital of the world because of the hardworking men and women who produce the resources that fuel our economy, power our communities, and strengthen our national security,” Craddick added.
“I look forward to continuing to work alongside my fellow Commissioners to ensure the RRC remains a fair, effective, and transparent regulator while protecting public safety and the environment,” Craddick continued.
In the RRC statement, Christian said, “I congratulate Commissioner Christi Craddick on her election as Chairman of the RRC”.
“Her prior experience as Chairman will serve the agency well as we continue to improve agency efficiency, protect Texas’ natural resources, advance energy abundance, and support Texas jobs,” Christian added.
Wright said in the statement, “it has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as Chairman of the RRC over the past year, and as my tenure comes to an end, I know the RRC will be in good hands under the leadership of Chairman Craddick”.
“Commissioner Craddick has a long and proven record of capably leading the RRC as Chairman. Her leadership since joining the Commission has played an important role in the resurgence of Texas energy dominance,” he added.
“I congratulate her on her election as Chairman of the RRC and look forward to working together to ensure Texas remains a global leader in energy production,” Wright continued.
The RRC, established in 1891, highlighted in its statement that it is the state’s oldest regulatory agency and that it has primary regulatory authority over the exploration, production and transportation of oil and natural gas, pipeline safety, natural gas utilities, and surface mining operations throughout Texas.
In a statement posted on its site back in April, the RRC marked 135 years of service as Texas’ oldest regulatory agency.
“Since its founding in 1891, the Commission has guided Texas through many significant periods of change, from its initial role regulating a rapidly expanding railroad system, to the oil boom of the early 20th century, and, more recently, the shale boom of the 2000s,” that statement noted.
“With primary oversight and enforcement over the state’s oil and gas industry, intrastate pipelines, alternative fuels safety, natural gas utilities and surface mining, the Commission plays a vital role in environmental safety and energy development for the betterment of all Texans,” it highlighted.
That statement went on to note that the Commission has continually evolved, pointing out that it has expanded into new territory in recent years, “issuing its very first permit for a deep geo-pressured geothermal well, marking a historic moment in Texas’ energy landscape” and that, in 2025, it launched the State Taskforce on Petroleum Theft (STOPTheft).
Led by previous RRC Chairman Wright, this task force “was created by the Texas Legislature to unite representatives from across the state’s energy industry, as well as federal and local law enforcement to help combat the scourge of petroleum theft in Texas,” the statement noted.
To contact the author, email
