New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC). Information from DEC with links to other legal issues.
The first Wayback Machine snapshot for this page is dated June 18, 2008. It is still online in 2025 and has been updated.
Awareness of Oil and Gas Activity when Purchasing Property
If you are purchasing property in an area with known oil and gas activity (central and western New York), it is important to research and obtain as much information as possible prior to entering into a contractual agreement:
- Ask the seller about any unplugged oil or gas well(s) on the property. New York State Real Property Law (RPP 8- 242.3) states that a seller with knowledge of the existence of an unplugged gas well must disclose this information to the purchaser prior to the sale.
- Consult with your attorney to review the property deed for potential oil and gas clauses.
- Check DECinfo Locator, the New York State Mines and Wells mapping tool, or the Oil & Gas Searchable Database for nearby wells.
- Review oil and gas well maps from the appropriate Division of Mineral Resources regional office.
Undocumented orphan and abandoned wells may be encountered in areas of historical oil and gas activity. Please review Finding and Identifying Oil and Gas Wells for further information.
New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC). Finding And Identifying Oil And Gas Wells.
What Oil and Gas Wells Look Like
New York Department of Environmental Conservation’s (NYDEC) updated web page has excellent information and more visuals to help identify abandoned wells.
From 2008: Abandoned Wells (This section, as linked to above, has been given a page of its own in the most recent update, accessed 4 Feb 2025.)
At least 70,000 oil and gas wells have been drilled in New York since the 1800’s, but information is available for only about 30,000 of them. Locations for the others are unknown, and wells have been found in such unexpected places as basements, stream banks and under parking lots. Abandoned wells may pose hazards not only to walking on the ground surface if outdoors, but also to ground water resources if not properly plugged. In addition, they provide a potential conduit for leakage of oil, gas or brine to the atmosphere, soil or surface water. More information about identifying existing wells is provided below…
See also: The Tioga County (NY) Landowners Group
The Tioga County Landowners Group was organized in the summer of 2008 for the express purpose to educate ourselves and our members about the mineral right opportunities. We are an organization of 1900+ families who own 140,000+ acres of land in Tioga County, NY. At this time there are 100,000 acres available for immediate lease with additional acreage that will be available in the near term. A small percentage of our existing population is currently under lease.
See: Landman Report Card
See: New York Land For Lease For Natural Gas Exploration
See: Changing a Water Filter in Prenter Hollow, WV
See: Two of the Seven Strangest Man-Made Disasters
See: Fracking Mobilizes Uranium in Marcellus Shale, UB Research Finds
See: Gas Drillers Plead Guilty to Felony Dumping Violations
See: Pennsylvania State officials seek more oversight of gas drilling
