Office of Conservation

DNR'S CONSERVATION AND MINERAL INCOME PROCESSING STREAMLINED

The state's oil and gas production records kept by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) may now be reported electronically by operators and companies, state officials announced today. The new process eliminates the need to file by paper and saves time and money. DNR officials say this is another step in streamlining operations and becoming Year 2000 compliant.

The department's Information Services Director Rizwan Ahmed said, "the process is convenient to customers and efficient for state government." According to Ahmed, a handbook explaining the department's new procedures for electronic data reporting was made available to oil and gas operators, transporters, payers of mineral royalties and other reporting parties just before the start of the year. He said both paper reduction and effective electronic reporting are strategic goals of the department.

Beginning January 4th, customers reporting monthly status reports to the Office of Conservation, as well as those filing mineral income reports for the Office of Mineral Resources can do so by e-mail, computer diskette, or CD-Rom. An electronic data authorization form is needed to accompany the data file.

Ahmed said that each record layout report is given a form code and title. For example, form DM1-R is the Oil Well Potential Report. He noted that the new reporting method is easy to follow and to use. DNR's Information Services staff anticipates that eventually only a small number of customers will continue to use the paper method. Authorization forms and all procedural information can be obtained from the department's web site at http://www.dnr.state.la.us/er.

According to Conservation Commissioner Philip Asprodites, "to facilitate ease in using the new system, the office plans a series of informational seminars in the coming weeks." Notice of these meetings will also be posted on the department's web pages.

DNR's Undersecretary Robert Harper praised department staff for moving closer to accomplishing its SONRIS 2000 project goal, which is a network of on-line information systems designed to reduce the workload associated with reporting oil and gas data and provide enhanced public access to records and information.

Editors: For more information on this topic, please call DNR Public Information Office at 225-342-8955 or Rizwan Ahmed at 225-342-4500.