Bureau of Oil and Gas Regulation
Jack K. Dahl, Director
(518) 402-8056
The Bureau of Oil and Gas Regulation in the Division of Mineral Resources oversees permitting, compliance and enforcement of all regulated wells in New York. The bureau is also responsible for leasing of land owned by New York State (other than state parks) for oil and gas exploration and development.
Contact us by e-mail: for inquiries about regulated wells and leasing state lands.
Permits Section
Phone (518) 402-8056
Fax (518) 402-8060
Responsibilities:
- Compulsory Integration Hearings
- Well Spacing and Production Allocations
- Underground Gas Storage
- Well Permitting and Field Inspections for Regions 1-5
- Enhanced Recovery
- Solution Salt Mining
- Production Waste Handling
Typical tasks of this section are:
- Develop, implement and enforce statewide regulations, policies and procedures to ensure that oil, gas, gas storage, solution mining, brine disposal, stratigraphic, geothermal and waterflood wells are drilled, operated and plugged so that the environment, correlative rights and public health and safety are fully protected.
- Manage monthly schedule of compulsory integration hearings.
- Review applications for non-conforming spacing units and requests for variances.
- Manage full regulatory permit programs for underground storage of natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas and for enhanced recovery of oil and gas resources.
- Review applications and issue permits to drill wells in DEC Regions 1-5.
- Perform technical review of solution mining well proposals and coordinate with other involved state and federal agencies regarding solution mining and brine disposal wells.
- Develop, implement and enforce regulations, policies and procedures to ensure that wastes generated during the drilling and operation of regulated wells are handled so that the environment and public health and safety are fully protected.
- Investigate and resolve citizen complaints and non routine incidents.
- Provide technical assistance and information to the regulated community, local governments, the public, other state agencies and other units within DEC.
Permits Section Staff
Kathleen Sanford, Section Chief
Peter Briggs
Thomas Noll
Edward Molocznik
Compliance and Enforcement Section
Phone (518) 402-8056
Fax (518) 402-8060
Responsibilities:
- Program Enforcement
- Regional Enforcement Support
- State Land Leasing and Audit
- Well Abandonments
Typical tasks of this section are:
- Develop and implement state land leasing procedures that promote effective management of state-owned oil and gas resources in compliance with the State Environmental Quality Review Act and good environmental practice.
- Enforce financial security requirements for all wells regulated by the Division.
- Conduct lease sales for onshore state lands and maintain an inventory of available State lands.
- Process non-competitive leases for small amounts of state acreage included in production units.
- Monitor and account for revenues from state oil and gas leases.
Compliance and Enforcement Section Staff
Charles Gilchrist, Section Chief
Christine Reed
Charles Roll
