The state’s oil and natural gas producers, royalty owners and staff at the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board have had a busy year — both in the field cleaning up more than 8,000 abandoned well sites and in the boardroom creating opportunities for employers and job seekers in the industry.

Oklahoma’s oil and natural gas producers and royalty owners continue to prove their dedication to restoring orphaned and abandoned well sites across the state as they celebrated two milestone events in their cleanup efforts recently.

Through a voluntary assessment on the sale of oil and natural gas, the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board commemorated the cleanup of more than 8,000 sites and $40 million spent on restoration projects since the program’s inception about 15 years ago.

“What we want to do is make a very visible and up-front commitment that we are doing the right thing by taking responsibility and cleaning up past mistakes made before modern regulations were in place,” said OERB Executive Director Mindy Stitt. “The 8,000th site serves as a great example of what we can do when given the opportunity.”

OERB was conceived in 1993 by the state Legislature, when the state’s oil and natural gas producers and royalty owners made a commitment to clean up abandoned oil well sites through a voluntary assessment on themselves. Specifically, it is funded voluntarily by oil and natural gas producers and royalty owners through a one-tenth of 1 percent assessment on the sale of oil and natural gas. The OERB’s purpose is to conduct environmental restoration of orphaned and abandoned well sites and to educate the public about the vitality, contributions and environmental responsibility of Oklahoma’s oil and natural gas industry.

“These milestones — cleaning up 8,000 sites and spending $40 million restoring Oklahoma land — mark the wonderful collaborative relationship of producers, royalty owners and the Oklahoma Corporation Commission,” OERB Chairman Steve Agee said. “This is a tribute to their stewardship to Oklahoma and making it a great place to live.”

The OERB is encouraging the public to submit abandoned well sites by calling (800) 664-1301 or by visiting www.OERB.com.

The OERB was created in 1993 by the state Legislature.

The OERB has restored dozens of abandoned sites in each of Garfield, Kingfisher, Grant, Major and Alfalfa counties.

Also new this year, the OERB has launched a free online job search for oil and natural gas industry employers and job seekers statewide.

Stitt said the job line will help fill Oklahoma’s need for energy industry employees, both skilled labor and professionals.

“Oklahoma has witnessed an increase in drilling and leasing activity due to new technology and higher energy prices,” Stitt said. “The demand for a trained workforce has grown as well, and the lack of employees is actually slowing efforts to meet the energy needs of the United States.”

According to a recent report by Ernst & Young, the need for employees has become the No. 1 threat to the energy industry. The report noted the average age of energy industry employees is 49. As these employees begin to retire, the industry will have to work hard to replace them.

“The job line is a key component of OERB’s efforts to get the word out that there are great opportunities in the oil and natural gas industry,” Stitt said. “In particular, young people who begin their careers in this industry will be able to advance quickly as large numbers of employees start retiring over the next 15 years.”

Landi Thompson, OERB education director, said she encourages producers, service companies and other energy-related companies or organizations to post job openings on the OERB Job Line.

“The Job Line is free and easy,” Thompson said. “There are hundreds of job openings across the state and we hope to play a role in matching the right jobs with the right candidates.”

Companies can e-mail careers@oerb.com to learn more about posting job openings. Job seekers can search for positions at jobline.oerb.com.

Thompson said most of the jobs on OERB’s Job Line require some type of training or experience. For Oklahomans interested in energy industry careers but who have no training or experience, the OERB also offers college scholarships and career tech training. Visit careers.oerb.com for more information.

Two members of the OERB board have ties to northwest Oklahoma. Sue Ann Hamm is the secretary of the executive board of OERB.

Hamm, who is the wife of Continental Resources CEO Harold Hamm, has managed several departments at Continental including manager of marketing the company’s crude oil production.

A newly appointed member of the executive board is Pete Brown, co-owner of Kingfisher’s Brown & Borelli, an independent oil and gas exploration and production firm operating out of Kingfisher. Brown also is co-owner of Cimarron Production Co., Inc. which is currently aggressively pursuing oil and gas exploration projects which are drilled and operated by Brown & Borelli, Inc., according to OERB.

Also locally, teachers often take advantage of OERB’s education outreach. Local and area teachers routinely fuel their knowledge of the oil and natural gas industry by attending free energy education workshops hosted by OERB.

Students attending the annual Progressive Enid Area Agriculture Farm and Home Safety Day camp are educated on oil field safety in part by a video OERB produced outlining the dangers.

Bill and Ellen Jenkins are on hand each year at the event held at the Garfield County Fairgrounds to share the story of their late son and to share the OERB vide. Just this month, the parents shared how in 1993 Michael was overcome by curiosity and gave into the temptation to explore a giant oil storage tank behind his Guthrie home. As he peered into the tank, his chin got stuck inside the circular hole. He passed out from the vapors and died of asphyxiation.

The Jenkinses always share the OERB-produced video. The OERB video “What’s The Risk?” showcases extreme-sport athletes comparing the risks of what they do at the skate-park to the risks of hanging around oilfield equipment.

Oklahoma teachers can order a free copy of the video by calling (405) 942-5323. Other free safety-related materials including posters and pocket folders provide a way for OERB to reach students.