Mission & Values
MISSION STATEMENT
We, the employees of the Division of Reclamation's Oil & Gas Program, are dedicated to professional public service through the effective administration of Indiana’s oil and gas exploration and production laws. We are committed to encouraging the responsible development of Indiana’s oil and gas resources in a manner that will:
- prevent waste;
- encourage the greatest economic recovery of oil and gas;
- protect the correlative rights of owners;
- protect human health and safety;
- protect the environment.
VALUES STATEMENT
The Values we adopt to accomplish our Mission include:
- Individual integrity
- Focus on customer satisfaction
- Professionalism
- Fiscal responsibility
- Quality work environment
Authority
The Oil & Gas Program administers Indiana's oil and gas statutes (IC 14-37 and IC 14-38), which regulate petroleum exploration and production operations including: well spacing, exploration, permitting, drilling, completion, production, and abandonment operations; underground injection of fluids for enhanced oil recovery or for production fluid disposal; and the underground storage of natural gas or other petroleum products in underground formations.
Organization
The Oil & Gas Program is organized into five program areas under the direction of a Division Director.
INSPECTIONS
The Inspections section conducts site inspections, witnesses well testing, plugging and abandonment operations, responds to and investigates oil and produced water spills, initiates enforcement actions, and responds to citizen complaints regarding oil and gas related operations. The section consists of an Assistant Director, a Field Technical Specialist, two Inspection Team Leaders, and seven Oil and Gas Inspectors. The Assistant Director of Inspections is Kevin York: kyork@dnr.IN.gov.
PERMITTING, COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT
The Permitting, Compliance and Enforcement section reviews permit applications for non-Class II wells, requests for well spacing and unit exceptions, forced pooling, and reviews all leases submitted for state oil and gas interests. Additionally this section monitors all program enforcement actions, and prepares, implements, and tracks compliance actions in conjunction with the Inspections section. These include Notices of Violation, Administrative Orders, and Penalty Assessments. The section consists of an Assistant Director and a Petroleum Geologist. The Assistant Director of Permitting, Compliance and Enforcement is Jim AmRhein: jamrhein@dnr.IN.gov.
UNDERGROUND INJECTION AND TECHNICAL SERVICES
The Underground Injection and Technical Services section reviews permit applications for Class II wells, conducts file reviews of existing Class II injection wells, provides technical assistance to industry and the public, manages the program's data processing system, and prepares technical and rule documents for consideration and promulgation. The section consists of an Assistant Director and two Petroleum Geologists. The Assistant Director of Underground Injection and Technical Services is Beth Hernly: bhernly@dnr.in.gov.
ABANDONED WELLS AND BUDGET
The Abandoned Wells and Budget section reviews abandoned well sites for inclusion in a statewide list of sites qualifying for state closure action. The program manages projects for well closure and site remediation work on improperly abandoned oil and gas production facilities. Funding for the program is provided through annual well fees paid by Indiana operators, civil penalty assessments and forfeited bonds. Additionally this section assists with preparation of biannual budgets and budget tracking throughout each fiscal year.
OFFICE AND RECORDS MANAGER
The Office Manager and Records section is the primary point of contact for the public and industry when requesting records or information from the Oil & Gas Program. The program is responsible for entering record information and data into the program’s database. It also processes all revenue received and payment of invoices for the Oil & Gas Program. Additionally this section is responsible for scanning all well-record files and maintaining the systems for electronic retrieval of these records for use by the Oil & Gas Program and the public via the program’s website. The section consists of a Manager, Administrative Assistant and Records Scanning Technicians. The Office and Records Manager is Christy Cook: ccook@dnr.IN.gov.