(a) Except as provided in Subsection (b) of this section, no natural gas, including casinghead gas, produced from any gas well or oil well in this state, containing one and one-half gallons or more of propane and heavier hydrocarbons per 1,000 cubic feet, as determined by fractional analysis made of the gas, may be used for the manufacture of carbon black in a plant producing an average recovery of at least one and one-half pounds of carbon black for each 1,000 cubic feet of gas consumed without the prior extraction of its natural gasoline content.
(b) On the filing of an application and after proper notice and hearing as provided by law, the commission may authorize the use of any natural gas, including casinghead gas, containing one and one-half gallons or more of propane and heavier hydrocarbons per 1,000 cubic feet, as determined by fractional analysis made of the gas, in the manufacture of carbon black in a plant producing an average recovery of at least one and one-half pounds of carbon black for each 1,000 cubic feet of gas consumed if the commission finds it is unprofitable to first extract the natural gasoline content of the gas.