Oil & Gas
Oil, Gas and Solution Salt Mining in New York State
Oil, gas and solution salt mining wells are economically important in New York State with more than 75,000 wells drilled in the state since the late 1800's; about 14,000 of these are still active and new drilling continues. Extraction of oil and gas contributes half a billion dollars to the state's economy each year. Wells are also drilled in New York for underground gas storage, geothermal heating/cooling, stratigraphic exploration and brine disposal.
DEC's Division of Mineral Resources administers regulations and a permitting program to mitigate to the greatest extent possible any potential environmental impact of drilling and well operation. See "regulated well types" on the right to get more details on which wells require permits, "well permitting process" for instructions on how to apply for a permit, and "forms" for all the required paperwork.
In addition, the Division protects the correlative rights of mineral owners and ensures that oil and gas reserves are developed such that a greater ultimate recovery can be achieved. This is accomplished through well spacing and compulsory integration. To the right you will find shortcuts to guides for landowners, and "Well Spacing and Compulsory Integration" below or to the left will lead you to a wealth of additional information.
Geographic and geologic data collected by the Division is valuable to minerals explorers, developers, regulators, educators and researchers. The Division receives many requests for information about drilling, about the state's mineral resources, and about specific wells. Answers to many of your questions are posted on this site; to the right are shortcuts to some of our most popular resources, including annual reports, permit and hearing notices, maps, a live, searchable database and yearly gas production summaries. Use the navigation below or at the left under "Energy" and "Oil and Gas" to review all of our postings.
Many agencies, organizations, groups and individuals are interested in oil and gas drilling. DEC's Division of Mineral Resources strives to work cooperatively with all customers and stakeholders to achieve the mission of ensuring the environmentally sound, economic development of New York's non-renewable energy and mineral resources for the benefit of current and future generations. Whether you are a well owner, an applicant, a landowner, a student or a teacher, we invite you to use the information centers and other online resources available here to obtain information on regulated wells. If you can't find it here, then please contact the appropriate office of the Division of Mineral Resources. Technical Guidance Memoranda posted on this site describe the fee schedule for Freedom of Information Law requests and our procedures for handling confidential materials.
More about Oil & Gas:
- Marcellus Shale - An introduction to natural gas exploration in the Marcellus Shale formation including drilling technology, environmental concerns and regulations.
- 2007 Annual Oil & Gas Production Data - Oil and gas production data for 2007 is released
- Oil, Gas and Solution Mining Law Declaration of Policy - ECL Article 23 - Oil, Gas and Solution Mining Law Declaration of Policy (§23-0301).
- Well Owner and Applicants Information Center - Tools and information for applicants and operators subject to the Oil, Gas and Solution Mining Law and regulations; permit requirements, guidance and policies, reporting requirements.
- Well Spacing and Compulsory Integration - Specialized regulatory information for well owners and operators.
- What Landowners Need to Know About Oil and Gas Wells - Leasing private land for oil and gas development; well owner responsibilities.
- Protecting the Environment During Well Drilling and Operation - How DEC uses well drilling permits to require environmentally sound operation and safe plugging of wells; regulatory obligations for drillers of oil, gas and solution salt wells.
- Data on Oil, Gas and Other Wells in New York State - Information on how to access well information and data.
- State Land Oil and Gas Leasing - Information on Leasing State Lands for oil and gas.
- Oil, Gas and Solution Salt Mining Information Center for Students and Teachers - Geology and mineral resources in New York; mineral extraction and use; extraction techniques that help protect the environment.
- Oil, Gas and Solution Mining Technical Presentations - Abstracts of articles and presentations by oil, gas and solution salt mining technical staff, with sources for obtaining complete presentations.
- Geographic Information on New York's Wells and Mines - Mineral Resource Maps of mines and oil and gas wells
