What is RRC Form P-18? The Skim Oil/Condensate Report, explained
RRC Form P-18, the Skim Oil/Condensate Report, is a monthly Texas Railroad Commission filing required of saltwater disposal and water-gathering operators that recover and then sell or dispose of skim oil or condensate. It documents the water received, the hydrocarbons skimmed, and the volume disposed for each reporting period.
What the P-18 reports
The Skim Oil/Condensate Report accounts for the liquid hydrocarbons a disposal or gathering facility skims off the water it handles. For each reporting period the operator reports the water received, the skim oil or condensate recovered, and the volume disposed, so the State can trace recovered hydrocarbons back to a producing source.
The P-18 works alongside Form T-1, the Monthly Transportation and Storage Report. Revisions in 2023 and 2024 expanded the form to capture water from out-of-state sources and basic sediment and water (BS&W), and added supporting pages, so current filings carry more detail than older versions did.
Who has to file a P-18
Operators of saltwater disposal (SWD) and water-gathering facilities that recover and then sell or dispose of skim oil or condensate are expected to file. In short: if your facility skims liquid hydrocarbons off the water it receives, the Commission expects a monthly P-18 for it.
- Commercial saltwater disposal facilities that recover skim oil
- Water-gathering systems that separate and sell condensate
- Injection and disposal operations that handle skimmed hydrocarbons
Skim oil, condensate, and Statewide Rule 56
Skim oil and condensate are the liquid hydrocarbons recovered, or skimmed, from produced water. Because they carry value, the State tracks them closely. Statewide Rule 56 governs how these hydrocarbons are accounted for and whether they are treated as identifiable or nonidentifiable.
That distinction matters financially: hydrocarbons that cannot be traced to a producing source can be classified as nonidentifiable and exposed to seizure. Clean reconciliation and source documentation are what keep every recovered barrel attributable to you.
How the P-18 is filed and when
The P-18 is filed monthly through the RRC LoneSTAR portal and is due by the 15th of the month following the reporting period. Hardcopy filings are only accepted through August 2026; effective September 1, 2026 the Commission no longer accepts paper P-18s. Zero-skim months are still reported; an unexplained gap can read as unreported recovery.
Frequently asked
What is skim oil or condensate?
Skim oil and condensate are the liquid hydrocarbons recovered, or skimmed, from the water a disposal or gathering facility handles. Because they carry value and must be traced to a producing source, the State tracks them on the P-18.
What is Statewide Rule 56?
Statewide Rule 56 governs how recovered hydrocarbons are accounted for and whether they are identifiable or nonidentifiable. Hydrocarbons that cannot be traced to a producing source can be classified as nonidentifiable and exposed to seizure.
Do I still file a P-18 in a month with no skim oil?
Yes. Zero-skim months are still reported. Repeated unexplained zero-skim months can read to a reviewer as unreported recovery, so the report should reflect them honestly with documentation.
Is the P-18 the same as Form T-1?
No. Form T-1 is the Monthly Transportation and Storage Report. The P-18 (Skim Oil/Condensate Report) is filed alongside it and specifically accounts for skimmed hydrocarbons.
Official sources
Emergent Environmental is not affiliated with the Railroad Commission of Texas. This guide is informational; the official P-18 instructions are authoritative.
Let us file it for you
You send the data, we handle the rest, reconciled to the barrel and filed by the 15th. Start with a free review of your trailing P-18 filings.