ODNR to expand well information options
By Kalea Hall
COLUMBUS
In effort to provide more information, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources will be expanding its interactive oil and gas viewer to include production information and violations.
“We are really in the preliminary process,” said Mark Bruce, ODNR spokesman. “It is public information, and we feel it is a good addition to what we have.”
There is no timetable on when the expansion of information will occur, but “they are working on it,” Bruce said.
Currently, the oil and gas viewer, which is a couple of years old, allows users to search options including address, coordinates, counties and townships. The information available includes well and permit information. It allows users to see the wells around them.
It can be located at gis.ohiodnr.gov/website/dog/oilgasviewer/.
“Everything we do here, we always look to see if it can be improved,” Bruce said. “We think our well locator is a very usable tool. That is why we think it is important to build on it.”
Susie Beiersdorfer, a geologist and a member of Frackfree Mahoning Valley, said it would be easier for ODNR to offer this information in the online format because it would deal with fewer public information requests.
She also said it will help to keep drillers accountable, as well as ODNR.
“I think [it’s important] so that people know what is there and what stage [the] operation is in,” Beiersdorfer said. “The big thing is accountability and transparency.”