Administrative Program Specialist ; Oilfield Site Restoration

Orphan Site Restoration Program (OSR)

The Louisiana Oilfield Site Restoration Program was created in 1993 within the Department of Conservation and Energy to address the growing problem of unrestored orphaned oilfield sites across the State. Orphan wells are abandoned oil and gas wells for which no viable responsible party can be located, or such party has failed to maintain the wellsite in accordance with State rules and regulations.

The specific focus of the Oilfield Site Restoration Program is to properly plug and abandon orphan wells and to restore sites to approximate pre-wellsite conditions suitable for redevelopment.

Oilfield site restoration projects range in size and scope from the repair of small wellhead leaks and the removal of exploration and production related trash and debris to the plugging of wells and removal of associated facilities and structures. Orphan wells are found throughout the State in all areas where there has been historic oil and gas activity. These sites deteriorate over time due to neglect from the operator of record and therefore become susceptible to releasing oil, gas, and saltwater to the surrounding area.

The Program has addressed sites near schools and public buildings, in sensitive coastal wetland areas, and near residential areas.

Orphan well sites are prioritized to direct available funding to those sites that pose the greatest threat to public safety and environment. However, in order to also economically decrease the total number of orphaned wells in the State, lower priority sites located near a proposed project area are often included in the project scope of work to increase cost-effectiveness by lowering overall individual well plugging costs.

Project design and oversight is handled by in-house staff while all other restoration-specific tasks are contracted to approved oilfield contractors. Project bids are solicited in accordance with the State bid law and projects are awarded to the lowest qualified bidder.

• Communicating Effectively: The ability to relay information correctly and appropriately to connect people and ideas.
• Managing Resources: The ability to ensure resources such as time, money, and people are utilized appropriately to result in maximum business value.
• Using Data: The ability to use relevant and valid data to inform a recommendation for action.

• Three years of experience in administrative services; OR
• Six years of full-time work experience in any field; OR
• A bachelor's degree.

EXPERIENCE SUBSTITUTION: Every 30 semester hours earned from an accredited college or university will be credited as one year of experience towards the six years of full-time work experience in any field. The maximum substitution allowed is 120 semester hours which substitutes for a maximum of four years of experience in any field. The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.

The Administrative Program Specialist A position reports to the Petroleum Scientist Manager 1 within the Oilfield Site Restoration Section of the Engineering-Regulatory Division located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This position will perform specialized professional level administrative functions as they pertain to the Underwater Obstructions Program (UWO) and Oilfield Site Restoration Program (OSR).

• Prepares and submits the program’s annual budget request to the legislature, and monitors collections and fund balances to ensure fiscal accountability and sustainability.
• Establishes, implements, and updates program standards, guidelines, and standard operating procedures to ensure compliance with Department of Conservation and Energy policies.
• Maintains and manages the database of known underwater obstructions in SONRIS and departmental records, ensuring accurate and current data.
• Oversees and updates orphaned well status and condition codes within the SONRIS database to maintain regulatory and operational accuracy.
• Identifies and selects underwater obstructions for assessment or removal projects based on program…