Office of Oil and Gas

Overview and Mission

To protect the public health, environment, and other natural resources through the regulation of oil and gas resource development, and the protection and restoration of abandoned oil and gas sites, while understanding the need for the development of additional oil and gas resources.

The Office of Oil and Gas is responsible for monitoring and regulating all actions related to the exploration, drilling, storage and production of oil and natural gas.

• It maintains records on over 55,000 active and 12,000 inactive oil & gas wells.
• It manages Abandoned Well Plugging and Reclamation Program.
• It ensures surface/groundwater is protected from oil and gas activities.

Pollution and Emergency Spills

Call 1-800-642-3074

• General Water Pollution Control Permit GP-WV-1-07
• Fact Sheet for GP-WV-1-07
• WW-8 -Site Registration Form for Land Application of CBM produced water
• General Water Pollution Control Permit GP-WV-1-88

• Draft General Water Pollution Control Permit GP-WV-1-07
• Draft General Water Pollution Control GP-WV-1-07 Fact Sheet

• New requirements under W. Va. Code § 22-6-22
• Marcellus Shale Completion Returns Directive
• Pit Reclamation Memo 3-23-10
• Compositional Breakdown of Fracturing Solutions

• Horizontal Well Act: Full Legislation
• Horizontal Well Act: Penalty Memorandum Advisory
• Industry Marcellus Guidance Document - 1-8-10

Reference Documents

• Erosion and Sediment Control Field Manual

  Revised: May, 2012

  The purpose of this manual is to present the best management practices (BMPs) for controlling erosion and sedimentation from soil-disturbing operations conducted during oil and gas industry activities in the state of West Virginia.

• Centralized Pits-Design and Construction Standards

  The following design standards for centralized pits utilized by natural gas production operations to store wastewaters (e.g. drilling or hydraulic fracturing fluids) shall be accomplished in such a manner as to protect the health and safety of the people, the natural resources, and environment of the State.