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Mineral Land Regulation & Reclamation

Oil & Gas Permitting Process

(last updated 03/03/2023)

Please note: Due to an increase in permit applications and inquiries submitted to the MLRR office, processing and response times have increased. Permit applications are processed in the order they are received and moved forward as applicants respond to deficiencies. Thank you for your patience.

Completed application materials may be emailed to mlrr.info@oregon.gov. The fee can be sent separately via U.S. mail, along with a paper copy of the application materials.

The application is reviewed for completeness and then proposed permit conditions are sent, with the application materials, to the other natural resource agencies for their review. They have 45 days to respond to us.

After the 45-day comment period

Reclamation security must be submitted before the permit can be issued.

The purpose of the reclamation security is to insure that reclamation is completed.

The permit must be renewed every year.

The permit must be renewed every year until reclamation is complete. Your renewal anniversary date is determined by the month of the issuance date of each active permit and falls on the last day of that month. (For example, if your permit is issued on May 6, your anniversary date will be every May 31.)

To obtain a permit to drill an oil or gas well, the following items must be submitted to the Department of Geology's Mineral Land Regulation & Reclamation office:

  1. A completed application form.
  2. Application fee (see ORS 520 - 2021 Oil & Gas - Fee Schedule).
  3. A drilling bond (amount based on depth of well).
  4. Evidence of mineral rights ownership or lease.
  5. New operators: an organization report giving information on the individual, the partnership, or the corporation.
  6. A plan of operation to include information on logging, coring, testing, directional surveys, directional drilling, and any other planned procedures.
  7. A plat of the drilling pad showing the slope of natural contours and the location of the mud sump with respect to cut/fill. Dimensions of these items is to be indicated on the plat.