Orphan Well - Exploratory 2025 SE

This contract involves the exploration and assessment of orphan wells across Ohio, with the primary goal of gathering detailed information about their equipment, materials, and conditions to facilitate future plugging efforts. The work will be carried out by contractors selected through a competitive bidding process on OhioBuys, with three contracts awarded regionally based on a specified map of Ohio. Each contractor will be responsible for a designated region, and only one region will be awarded per contractor, ensuring regional coverage and competition. The contract emphasizes the importance of safety and environmental protection, requiring contractors to have certain equipment on hand to address potential aggravations during exploration activities, although the actual plugging of wells will occur under separate agreements once sufficient data is collected. The project is mandated by statute to ensure public safety and environmental protection, making it mission-critical. Work orders will be issued to authorize specific tasks, and pricing will be established through OhioBuys submissions. The contract duration is flexible, with a set timeframe or expenditure limit, ranging from $500,000 to $1,500,000. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources' Division of Oil and Gas oversees the project, which is part of a broader effort to address orphan wells in the state, with the response deadline for proposals set for August 27, 2024.