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Collaborative Rulemaking Process Strengthens Ohio’s Energy Leadership, Led to Modern, Environmentally Sound Well Plugging Rules


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COLUMBUS, July 9, 2020 – API Ohio welcomed today’s approval by the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) of new well plugging rules. The approval is the final step in two years of collaborative work led by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources-Division of Oil and Gas Resources (ODNR) to ensure that Ohio’s well plugging regulations address modern industry operations, standards and materials while putting in place better planning and review of plugging operations by the well owner as part of the permitting process.

“Today’s announcement ensures that Ohio has responsible and environmentally sound well plugging rules, fit for purpose to the state’s specific hydrology, geology and modern industry technology used to develop local energy resources,” API Ohio Executive Director Chris Zeigler said. “We applaud the effort that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources-Division of Oil and Gas Resources put into securing a collaborative process. As we have stated for years, the states are the proper authorities for developing regulatory programs for our industry due to their precise knowledge of the local landscape.”

The industry is regulated through every step of production and current regulations ensure that wellbore integrity is maintained from start of construction to the end of well plugging. Responsible development of Ohio’s energy resources provides incredible environmental and economic benefits to the state, including an abundance of natural gas that has contributed to a 50 percent decline in wholesale electricity prices in the last decade.

API Ohio is a division of API, which represents all segments of America’s natural gas and oil industry. API’s more than 600 members produce, process, and distribute most of the nation’s energy. The industry supports millions of U.S. jobs and is backed by a growing grassroots movement of millions of Americans. API was formed in 1919 as a standards-setting organization. In its first 100 years, API has developed more than 700 standards to enhance operational and environmental safety, efficiency and sustainability.

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