TXL-27

Operated by OVINTIV USA INC. (P-5 628658) in the SPRABERRY (TREND AREA) field. Every figure below is a volume the Railroad Commission published, multiplied by a monthly price you can check.

Oil lease lease 9242District 7CField 85279200NGPA filingOilCasinghead gasSaveExport
Value, all time
$64.8 M
Jan 1993 – May 2026
Value, last 12 filed months
$2.2 M
at the published price for each month
Months reported
401
no gaps in the span
Streams
2
oil, casinghead gas

The Railroad Commission's own record for the field this lease produces from, including the spacing rule that governs how close together its wells may be drilled.

These are facts about the field, not about this lease. The field holds 7,461 leases and 22,481 wells, and the rule below applies to all of them.

Discovered
1904-12-31
as the register files it
Field class
Oil and gas
the register's own label
Between wells
0 ft
minimum
From a lease line
330 ft
minimum

A drilling unit in this field needs at least 80 acres. The field rule took effect on 2016-03-08.

The Commission's schedule remark for this field reads: AREA) 85279200.

Severance-tax incentive filings

Applications the operator filed to have this lease's gas taxed at a reduced state rate. A filing is an application, and this page never calls one a reduction that was granted.

ProgrammeFilingsWith an approval dateDatedDocket
NGPA4none

This says nothing about a royalty. A severance tax is charged to the operator. Whether a reduced rate reaches a royalty owner depends on the wording of the lease instrument, which is a private contract this site does not hold.

What this lease produced, and what it was worth

Oil and condensate are valued on the volume the state records as disposed of; gas and casinghead gas on the volume produced. They are different columns of different files, and the difference is not cosmetic.

StreamBasisVolumeValue
OilDisposition909,480 bbl$54,404,935
Casinghead gasProduction3,102,768 Mcf$10,419,101
Total$64,824,036

95,926 Mcf of this lease's gas, across 48 months, carries no value here. No free Texas wellhead gas price exists before 1997, so those months are left out of the total rather than valued at zero. The total above is therefore a floor, not an estimate.

Wells on this lease (14)

Every wellbore the Railroad Commission records against this lease key, with the depth, the last completion and the plug date exactly as filed. A well with no plug date is not stated to be producing — the state files no such flag.

These wells centre on 31.5593, -102.0582. A lease has no coordinate of its own — that point is the mean of its wells, and they span 1.0 miles.

31.55884, -102.05725 · centre of the wells drawn, derived

What these wells add up to

Every figure below is counted over all of this lease's wells, not over the rows listed above. The Railroad Commission files two facts about a well's state — a plug date and a proration-schedule flag — and a well can carry both, so they are published as separate counts and never merged into a status.

On the schedule
28.6%
4 of 14 wells
With a plug date
28.6%
4 of 14 wells
Median depth
11,288 ft
14 wells filed one
Completion to plug
21.7 years
median over 4 wells

What the state filed about each well

On the RRC proration schedule
428.6%
A plug date is filed
428.6%
BothOn the schedule and plugged. Neither fact cancels the other.
428.6%
NeitherNo plug date, and not on the schedule.
1071.4%

A plug date is the date the Commission recorded the wellbore as sealed with cement and abandoned. It is the only end-of-life fact Texas files. There is no "active" flag on a well, so this page does not print one — a well with no plug date is not stated to be producing.

How deep they were drilled

Total depth in feet, 14 of 14 wells. Median 11,288 ft, with the middle half between 9,331 and 11,382 ft; the shallowest is 9,280 ft and the deepest 11,571 ft. The median is published rather than the mean, because a single mis-keyed depth moves a mean and cannot move a median.

When they were last completed

Last completion by decade, 14 of 14 wells, Nov 1981 – May 2014. This is the LAST completion filed on each wellbore, not the first — a well recompleted in 2019 counts once, in the 2010s.

Completions filed
Nov 1981 – May 2014
14 of 14 wells
Plug dates filed
Aug 1993 – Aug 2022
4 of 14 wells; 10 filed none

Last completion to plug: a median of 21.7 years across the 4 wells that filed both dates, with the middle half between 15.3 years and 30.0 years. The gap is the distance between two filed dates. It is not a statement of how long the well produced.

14 wells

42-4613919328H9,458 ftMay 2014
42-46139112711,380 ftFeb 2014
42-461389941611,571 ftDec 2013
42-461388431411,388 ftAug 2013
42-46138705911,250 ftMay 2013
42-461384221311,325 ftFeb 2013
42-461383891011,375 ftDec 2012
42-46138204811,420 ftOct 2012
42-461379381511,383 ftJul 2012
42-4613343459,300 ftNov 1993Jun 2010Yes
42-4613191549,325 ftJul 1982Aug 2022Yes
42-4613191439,334 ftJul 1982Mar 2009Yes
42-4613186629,330 ftFeb 1982Aug 1993Yes
42-4613181019,280 ftNov 1981

The API number is the state's, prefixed 42 for Texas. A well is matched to this lease by the lease key the Commission files on the wellbore record, so a well that has moved between leases appears under each one it was filed against.

Every month this lease reported (401)

Volume × price = value, one row per cycle. The price columns are the same series published on the prices page — nothing here is modelled.

401 months

May 20262,3909,839106.413.05$284,288
Apr 20261,9967,73098.932.87$219,647
Mar 20261,9275,79089.753.15$191,184
Feb 20261,8187,54263.503.75$143,728
Jan 20261,9638,45559.138.00$183,695
Dec 20251,95411,07456.664.41$159,587
Nov 20252,84511,33458.593.93$211,191
Oct 20252,3648,35759.383.30$167,993
Sep 20251,4275,09562.743.08$105,207
Aug 20251,9675,88063.933.01$143,477
Jul 20251,98110,86566.743.32$168,232
Jun 20252,33010,17066.483.13$186,717
May 20252,6999,90360.553.23$195,434
Apr 20252,3609,15662.363.54$179,610
Mar 20252,3729,35467.704.27$200,510
Feb 20252,3748,18570.884.34$203,799
Jan 20252,6359,22674.324.28$235,308
Dec 20242,58010,66068.993.12$211,268
Nov 20241,6475,35969.052.20$125,507
Oct 20241,8091,92571.372.28$133,500
Sep 20242,0138,96069.612.36$161,310
Aug 20241,9999,88375.632.06$171,579
Jul 20242,3219,62479.932.15$206,176
Jun 20241,6238,69978.082.63$149,637
May 20241,98910,57578.812.20$180,002
Apr 20242,14810,43784.451.66$198,716
Mar 20242,20011,00580.301.55$193,664
Feb 20242,53110,30476.091.78$210,962
Jan 20241,9837,96673.023.30$171,068
Dec 20232,73012,68571.262.61$227,657
Nov 20232,9191,51877.892.81$231,623
Oct 20231,920085.443.09$164,045
Sep 20232,270089.042.74$202,121
Aug 20232,9598,26880.522.67$260,358
Jul 20232,97110,41374.852.64$249,888
Jun 20239154,17468.962.26$72,525
May 20232,3506,77770.622.23$181,052
Apr 20232,3028,58678.122.24$199,046
Mar 20233,8517,38072.852.39$298,207
Feb 20231,7764,18775.112.47$143,719
Jan 20231,4925,08776.533.39$131,416
Dec 20222,6197,92076.415.73$245,492
Nov 20221,9764,17885.005.65$191,550
Oct 20221,9752,79787.185.86$188,581
Sep 20222,26310,40184.888.16$276,994
Aug 20222,85911,17394.529.13$372,210
Jul 20222,59111,512101.587.54$350,018
Jun 20222,13810,843115.097.98$332,559
May 20222,69812,468109.378.43$400,223
Apr 20223,09611,394104.226.84$400,573
Mar 20222,8259,437108.885.08$355,492
Feb 20222,8748,22191.054.86$301,622
Jan 20222,94910,91081.844.54$290,852
Dec 20211,8817,54871.323.90$163,583
Nov 20212,2388,18677.435.24$216,157
Oct 20212,8097,19079.795.71$265,213
Sep 20212,72313,29769.865.35$261,380
Aug 20213,2096,33266.024.22$238,583
Jul 20213,31014,59370.783.98$292,392
Jun 20213,68412,16569.493.38$297,126
May 20213,61512,57763.483.02$267,433
Apr 20212,7537,83360.362.76$187,778
Mar 20213,4458,43561.302.72$234,096
Feb 20212,4305,74657.805.55$172,333
Jan 20213,24910,81350.412.81$194,170
Dec 20203,55210,93944.642.68$187,828
Nov 20203,10312,61438.772.71$154,444
Oct 20203,51111,07936.972.48$157,260
Sep 20203,16112,46837.091.99$142,066
Aug 20203,72513,68939.982.39$181,575
Jul 20202,97513,72138.371.83$139,193
Jun 20203,49316,29034.901.69$149,441
May 20203,19915,36416.921.81$82,009
Apr 20203,75114,25814.751.80$81,054
Mar 20204,07814,99230.341.86$151,555
Feb 20203,08213,05749.881.98$179,592
Jan 20204,66215,17257.252.09$298,681
Dec 20192,90211,50259.012.30$197,752
Nov 20193,22012,57755.302.75$212,662
Oct 20194,06515,79353.472.42$255,552
Sep 20193,26116,65155.052.66$223,764
Aug 20193,86417,98153.112.30$246,652
Jul 20194,00216,18856.272.46$265,016
Jun 20193,46416,82452.782.49$224,742
May 20193,78717,12958.482.74$268,403
Apr 20193,80615,73462.632.75$281,649
Mar 20194,43018,54356.803.06$308,405
Feb 20194,45417,78550.852.79$276,146
Jan 20194,91816,59246.033.23$279,938
Dec 20184,28117,39246.594.19$272,245
Nov 20185,09422,19052.934.24$363,650
Oct 20184,44823,35261.443.40$352,637
Sep 20184,14421,10759.543.11$312,334
Aug 20186,29523,89159.403.07$447,186
Jul 20183,73920,62565.142.93$304,028
Jun 20184,32322,52960.183.08$329,478
May 20184,29424,53865.382.90$351,922
Apr 20185,54025,64463.842.90$428,062
Mar 20185,11225,81361.222.79$384,893
Feb 20185,06825,32861.782.77$383,161
Jan 20185,84127,89562.874.01$479,064
Dec 20175,98727,82257.272.92$424,158
Nov 20176,14128,37255.423.12$428,808
Oct 20174,67721,51949.292.98$294,735
Sep 20175,42727,45247.523.09$342,643
Aug 20176,13129,63245.373.00$367,190
Jul 20175,67334,22743.873.09$354,543
Jun 20176,41236,11642.493.09$383,946
May 20176,73031,12945.373.26$406,926
Apr 20175,23316,12347.933.21$302,598
Mar 20174,75517,54646.772.98$274,743
Feb 20174,80314,63150.452.95$285,511
Jan 20176,53217,98149.413.42$384,220
Dec 20165,51616,07148.763.72$328,790
Nov 20164,30414,81042.492.64$222,040
Oct 20166,22517,18646.193.09$340,642
Sep 20165,18619,98141.553.10$277,432
Aug 20165,86124,61341.442.92$314,857
Jul 20166,71824,05741.622.92$349,954
Jun 20163,50216,75645.352.69$203,819
May 20166,84926,56642.521.99$344,113
Apr 20167,21930,05336.561.99$323,763
Mar 20167,00232,03033.011.79$288,598
Feb 20167,69128,01026.472.06$261,383
Jan 20168,63330,10627.352.36$307,294
Dec 20158,86534,35132.362.00$355,622
Nov 20158,66732,48038.792.17$406,588
Oct 20158,04730,39143.552.43$424,193
Sep 20158,50230,61642.992.76$449,953
Aug 20159,18537,22040.162.87$475,784
Jul 201510,71138,57948.152.95$629,353
Jun 20159,82138,76156.152.88$663,192
May 20159,83633,11655.212.96$640,918
Apr 201511,26633,15449.822.71$651,006
Mar 201512,69233,16142.892.93$641,678
Feb 20159,88923,27544.662.98$510,914
Jan 20159,16926,45343.433.10$480,231
Dec 201410,49332,05954.693.59$688,998
Nov 201411,34537,61270.464.25$959,289
Oct 201413,67043,21078.303.90$1,238,921
Sep 201414,47145,05586.164.05$1,429,089
Aug 201419,63952,76989.394.04$1,968,459
Jul 201418,60742,51796.564.18$1,974,396
Jun 201421,81042,37198.164.74$2,341,576
May 20149,17429,19794.734.73$1,007,054
Apr 20146,78330,05295.944.81$795,285
Mar 20146,71538,35095.895.06$837,830
Feb 20147,81224,48897.406.19$912,519
Jan 20148,38222,59290.404.86$867,546
Dec 20135,12216,29091.824.35$541,237
Nov 20134,10614,10388.853.74$417,539
Oct 20135,38514,74197.423.78$580,318
Sep 20134,51713,779104.113.72$521,492
Aug 20135,02413,275104.253.52$570,515
Jul 20134,42413,505102.523.72$503,757
Jun 20134,09611,57494.403.93$432,188
May 20134,45712,40194.834.15$474,110
Apr 20133,3329,33893.964.28$353,066
Mar 20135,31714,91293.623.91$556,126
Feb 20134,66214,29091.233.42$474,185
Jan 20133,85310,04991.603.42$387,301
Dec 20122,5866,17286.773.42$245,496
Nov 20125,11713,14386.953.62$492,566
Oct 20121,8132,64189.383.40$171,024
Sep 20127291,63594.672.92$73,786
Aug 201298315892.662.91$91,544
Jul 2012773085.133.02$6,646
Jun 20124361679.822.52$34,842
May 2012230591.612.49$21,083
Apr 20127918101.652.00$8,066
Mar 20121778105.052.22$18,612
Feb 20123677101.102.57$3,838
Jan 20122337498.092.73$23,057
Dec 20113234096.873.24$4,201
Nov 201138538095.723.31$38,110
Oct 201117431184.983.65$15,921
Sep 201117433583.623.99$15,885
Aug 2011036583.404.15$1,515
Jul 201117739694.144.52$18,452
Jun 2011929292.904.64$2,191
May 20113723898.134.40$36,672
Apr 20110304105.964.33$1,317
Mar 201117051496.364.06$18,467
Feb 2011345685.644.18$2,163
Jan 201134538586.504.59$31,609
Dec 20101338685.734.35$2,793
Nov 2010337180.843.80$1,651
Oct 201034839478.103.51$28,561
Sep 2010034172.633.98$1,357
Aug 2010037673.684.42$1,662
Jul 2010040172.554.74$1,899
Jun 201017939770.364.91$14,544
May 201018140871.124.24$14,601
Apr 201018154381.694.12$17,025
Mar 201018652878.394.39$16,898
Feb 201036780573.585.44$31,385
Jan 20101901,01974.365.96$20,206
Dec 20095321,16171.445.48$44,373
Nov 20091801,15574.593.75$17,759
Oct 20093661,23772.544.11$31,634
Sep 20093621,23065.543.06$27,495
Aug 20093401,22367.423.22$26,859
Jul 200936695561.133.46$25,682
Jun 200936199666.163.90$27,763
May 200951993154.743.93$32,065
Apr 200952298446.773.59$27,944
Mar 20093501,02442.144.06$18,905
Feb 200934497232.814.63$15,790
Jan 20093501,06535.865.37$18,271
Dec 20081711,25537.105.98$13,845
Nov 20083551,21055.496.86$28,000
Oct 20083431,22975.246.92$34,314
Sep 20085201,068101.767.88$61,328
Aug 20086871,330114.228.48$89,752
Jul 20085021,299131.0811.39$80,597
Jun 20083451,172131.3313.03$60,583
May 20081701,302123.1711.57$36,009
Apr 20081681,310110.3110.45$32,228
Mar 20085051,315101.909.66$64,168
Feb 20083441,19792.538.77$42,329
Jan 20085061,33190.388.21$56,654
Dec 20073441,31688.337.30$39,995
Nov 20073471,28791.677.29$41,194
Oct 20075321,34682.856.92$53,393
Sep 20073501,28675.846.24$34,574
Aug 20075181,32269.066.39$44,218
Jul 20073391,30870.906.39$32,391
Jun 20075151,25562.007.55$41,403
May 20073421,30058.747.85$30,289
Apr 20075161,27859.617.81$40,734
Mar 20073431,26756.927.30$28,775
Feb 20075191,18955.108.22$38,366
Jan 20073521,30250.306.73$26,464
Dec 20063481,28956.656.92$28,632
Nov 20065191,30254.207.62$38,048
Oct 20063431,38954.906.01$27,184
Sep 20066921,35460.085.04$48,396
Aug 20063411,43268.717.34$33,941
Jul 20063461,28569.376.34$32,152
Jun 20063461,37766.286.38$31,723
May 20065301,47166.016.42$44,436
Apr 20063771,41464.397.36$34,683
Mar 20065521,26456.707.08$40,251
Feb 20063721,16557.597.75$30,454
Jan 20063791,25560.598.93$34,175
Dec 20055841,26754.9413.42$49,082
Nov 20055861,26654.6910.59$45,453
Oct 20053781,14658.3413.80$37,862
Sep 200519076261.4512.08$20,880
Aug 20053621,00761.519.80$32,132
Jul 20053841,07755.697.84$29,833
Jun 20057351,29752.337.38$48,036
May 20053601,32245.226.65$25,072
Apr 20055901,38749.207.36$39,237
Mar 20053931,20050.377.15$28,381
Feb 200555794545.226.31$31,152
Jan 20055941,26743.166.32$33,647
Dec 20045641,43039.866.75$32,135
Nov 20041981,26145.286.33$16,948
Oct 20045701,20449.706.52$36,173
Sep 20043491,23043.245.28$21,590
Aug 20046931,09242.375.55$35,424
Jul 20043581,19438.286.08$20,969
Jun 20045551,17036.106.43$27,562
May 20046581,26937.486.49$32,903
Apr 20043841,14334.475.86$19,933
Mar 20046031,22234.365.53$27,477
Feb 20045861,15532.455.51$25,379
Jan 20045891,20932.036.30$26,482
Dec 20035971,21630.266.30$25,728
Nov 20035691,17528.804.60$21,787
Oct 20033771,34228.174.76$17,008
Sep 20035371,22326.314.75$19,937
Aug 20035741,22229.765.13$23,351
Jul 20035871,24129.415.17$23,681
Jun 20035671,17528.565.98$23,224
May 20035871,22626.595.97$22,931
Apr 20035751,20526.675.41$21,851
Mar 20033871,25231.146.10$19,683
Feb 200375794433.487.93$32,826
Jan 20033891,03930.315.58$17,590
Dec 20027681,06126.914.85$25,817
Nov 20025551,22024.664.14$18,733
Oct 20023851,30826.464.23$15,719
Sep 20025631,31927.443.64$20,244
Aug 20025641,50025.963.16$19,388
Jul 20025741,35424.583.06$18,255
Jun 200254586223.733.34$15,810
May 20025441,21324.663.58$17,762
Apr 20025551,31623.653.51$17,748
Mar 20025591,36422.003.10$16,530
Feb 20025541,00518.222.38$12,481
Jan 20027341,02417.172.38$15,035
Dec 20015531,12716.932.36$12,027
Nov 20015521,34518.072.41$13,210
Oct 20015561,60119.782.53$15,046
Sep 20015541,57724.262.25$16,990
Aug 20015561,53924.873.05$18,527
Jul 20015401,54323.933.20$17,855
Jun 20017271,44524.563.82$23,381
May 20015461,58625.524.31$20,765
Apr 20017201,63724.685.34$26,504
Mar 20015611,46924.545.38$21,665
Feb 20015521,36027.755.77$23,161
Jan 20015461,65627.478.40$28,907
Dec 20003621,57726.889.12$24,117
Nov 20005611,64432.215.66$27,372
Oct 20005371,51931.235.15$24,587
Sep 20006531,77331.875.19$30,007
Aug 20005231,76229.644.54$23,503
Jul 20007201,81728.534.09$27,973
Jun 20005441,38629.304.40$22,034
May 20007221,21427.263.68$24,149
Apr 20007221,36224.513.12$21,940
Mar 20006841,35628.422.86$23,317
Feb 20005151,44827.622.73$18,172
Jan 20006861,24125.272.48$20,414
Dec 19998571,42724.282.42$24,267
Nov 19995191,28223.192.43$15,156
Oct 19996941,60420.982.80$19,057
Sep 19998611,62621.752.62$22,985
Aug 19995231,60219.262.88$14,680
Jul 19997281,50117.892.37$16,585
Jun 19996921,50415.942.36$14,583
May 19991,0411,83115.792.32$20,687
Apr 19993511,43915.102.21$8,477
Mar 19995111,61812.471.84$9,347
Feb 19993381,3999.981.82$5,916
Jan 19998881,73210.381.90$12,508
Dec 19987031,4709.201.77$9,074
Nov 19987161,53810.892.19$11,159
Oct 19988711,81912.421.97$14,400
Sep 19985171,53612.592.08$9,708
Aug 19988521,69211.301.91$12,855
Jul 19985131,73011.742.24$9,893
Jun 19985141,66911.242.24$9,511
May 19986881,80512.622.21$12,665
Apr 19985101,85113.042.51$11,288
Mar 19988561,88912.802.31$15,319
Feb 19986781,64413.952.30$13,238
Jan 19988521,88714.702.15$16,590
Dec 19976891,82816.322.41$15,652
Nov 19978631,76518.193.09$21,149
Oct 19976581,93019.253.15$18,746
Sep 19976761,96317.742.95$17,793
Aug 19978431,99617.862.55$20,155
Jul 19978472,02117.582.25$19,431
Jun 19974911,80817.242.26$12,546
May 19978292,04018.972.31$20,435
Apr 19978461,68317.882.08$18,632
Mar 19978191,87618.951.94$19,158
Feb 19978481,66520.492.21$21,048
Jan 19978541,87723.483.54$26,696
Dec 19968461,61823.32$19,729
Nov 19965251,45021.97$11,534
Oct 19967931,39823.31$18,485
Sep 19968421,44922.22$18,709
Aug 19968841,75720.26$17,910
Jul 19967001,89319.55$13,685
Jun 19966962,14418.73$13,036
May 19968632,13719.43$16,768
Apr 19966961,99921.51$14,971
Mar 19961,0552,02719.38$20,446
Feb 19968661,99516.98$14,705
Jan 19968932,15617.07$15,244
Dec 19958702,32717.19$14,955
Nov 19958802,12316.00$14,080
Oct 19951,1952,43915.43$18,439
Sep 19956921,93216.18$11,197
Aug 19958362,22315.92$13,309
Jul 19956972,33315.24$10,622
Jun 19958461,97016.41$13,883
May 19951,0442,15017.56$18,333
Apr 19951,0372,13917.73$18,386
Mar 19951,0371,96616.44$17,048
Feb 19951,0381,56016.58$17,210
Jan 19958721,54115.92$13,882
Dec 19948731,63015.03$13,121
Nov 19941,4041,90215.90$22,324
Oct 19946962,33415.58$10,844
Sep 19941,0492,13015.29$16,039
Aug 19946972,64916.13$11,243
Jul 19941,0282,84717.56$18,052
Jun 19941,0442,41817.09$17,842
May 19946972,35215.88$11,068
Apr 19941,3712,41114.14$19,386
Mar 19941,0842,66712.46$13,507
Feb 19941,1012,06812.50$13,763
Jan 19941,4332,27312.66$18,142
Dec 19931,7583,60512.33$21,676
Nov 19938692,37514.49$12,592
Oct 19935461,47915.85$8,654
Sep 19935371,49015.03$8,071
Aug 19939071,60315.66$14,204
Jul 19933591,60415.46$5,550
Jun 19933711,52316.79$6,229
May 19937301,51617.68$12,906
Apr 19937301,47818.05$13,177
Mar 19937481,53518.14$13,569
Feb 19937371,52417.90$13,192
Jan 19931,0961,78716.93$18,555

How to read this page

The arithmetic is one multiplication per stream per month. Here it is, worked, on a real row from the table above.

May 2026 — as filed, then multipliedworked
Oil                2,390 bbl  × $106.41 =   $254,320
Casinghead gas     9,839 Mcf  × $  3.05 =    $29,968

────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Month total                                 $284,288

The volumes are the state's, unchanged

Every barrel and every Mcf on this page is a number the Railroad Commission of Texas published in its monthly production query. Nothing is modelled, estimated or filled in.

The dollars are a multiplication, not a valuation

Volume × a published monthly price. It is not what the operator was paid: it takes no account of a contract, a differential, a transportation deduction, or the share any one owner holds.

Oil and gas are priced differently

Oil is a Texas realisation — the crude oil first purchase price. Gas is a benchmark, because no free Texas wellhead gas series exists at any date. The prices page publishes the difference rather than correcting it away.

A lease is not a well

The state reports oil on lease and gas on well, and this page is the lease grain. 7C/O/9242 is the state's own key, not one this site invented.