Overview

Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) developed the PA Oil and Gas Mapping application to organize and report information about Pennsylvania and the Commonwealth’s regulated facilities and activities related to Oil and Gas. 

This document provides an overview of the PA Oil and Gas Mapping interface and basic functions.  The user determines which information the map displays by selecting data layers.  The user may pan and zoom to navigate to an area and identify the displayed sub-facilities.

User Interface

The PA Oil and Gas Mapping user interface includes two major sections: the “tabbed pane” and the “map area.” 

    Tabbed Pane                                                                                   Map Area

 

Tabbed Pane

The tabbed pane consists of a series of tabs along the top edge which determine the options displayed below the tabs.  Use the right-arrow or left-arrow buttons to scroll through the tabs or click the down-arrow to display a list of tabs.  The available tabs are Oil & Gas Well Layer, Tasks, Legend, Other Map Layers, and Resources.  Each tab provides a different function as described in this document.

Oil & Gas Well Layers Tab

 

The Oil & Gas Well Layers tab allows the user to select the designation, type and status of the Oil and Gas Wells that are displayed on the map area.  The default selection is Unconventional Wells of type Gas with an Active Status.  This is shown through the check marks in the boxes to the left of these selections. The user may change the wells displayed on the map by clicking in the boxes to the left of the various selections or clicking on the buttons at the bottom of each grouping. 

When the user makes changes in selections, the Well Selection is Now Displayed on Map button will change to a Submit Request button.  The user must click on the button in order for their new selection to be displayed on the map. 

 

 

Also on the Oil & Gas Well Layers Tab is a drop down that gives the user options for searching for a well or wells that meet specific search criteria.  The user can search by Permit Number; County; County and Operator; County and Municipality; County, Municipality, and Operator; Operator; Operator and County; and Operator, County and Municipality.

 

 

 

Tasks Tab

The Tasks tab is a multi-function tab used to search for and locate specific areas or items of interest; create a buffer; return information within a buffered area; perform measurements; and generate a printable map.  It contains five tasks: Locate on Map, Buffer, Proximity Buffer, Measurement, and Print.

 

 

Locate On Map

The “Locate on Map” task allows the user to search for a specific area or point within Pennsylvania to be displayed on the Map Area.  Users can search for a specific Address, a County, a DEP Oil & Gas Region, Latitude/Longitude, Municipality, Quadrangle, Well Pad Name, Well Pad Site Name, or Zip Code.  Once the user has entered their search criteria the map will display the requested location, if it is available.

 

 

 

 

Buffer

The “Buffer a Layer” task highlights the radius around a point, line, or shape, which is called a buffer.  The buffer tool will create a buffer from 0.1 mile to 50 miles or from 5 feet to 5280 feet.

 

 

Proximity Buffer

The “Proximity Buffer” allows the user to select a location on the map, create a buffer for that location and return information on specific facilities related to Oil and Gas activities within the buffered area.  Any combination of twelve GIS layers showing Oil and Gas well locations, mining operations, and waste disposal activities can be selected for the proximity buffer.  The buffer distance defaults to 2500 feet but can be set for a value of 0.1 to 10 miles or 5 to 5280 feet.

The information that is returned can be viewed on the screen or downloaded.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Measurement Task

Use the Measurement task to measure the area inside a shape, the distance between two points, or collect the locational coordinates of one or two points.

Print Task

The Print task generates a PDF copy of the displayed map area for saving, printing, or e-mailing.

 

Legend Tab

The Legend tab displays the icons, outlines, and shapes used to represent the data layers that are currently being displayed on the map.

Other Map Layers Tab

The Other Map Layers Tab provides the user with a list of map layers that can be added to the Map Area display. Selecting a data layer displays related data points on the map.  A layer name listed in black is visible at the current map scale.  A layer name listed in grey cannot be seen at the current map scale regardless of whether it is selected.  Zoom in closer to see the data.

The data layers are grouped and sub-grouped.  Click the plus icon () next to a layer group to display additional sub-groups or individual layers.  A checkmark () in the checkbox next to each label indicates the data points for that layer are selected for display in the map area.  Click the checkmark to deselect the layer or click an empty checkbox () to select that layer.

 

Resources Tab

The Links tab contains additional resources related to Oil and Gas Mapping.  The “Contact Us” link creates a new e-mail to the DEP Geospatial Data Center.  Other links are to DEP and non-DEP websites that users may find of interest.

Map Area

Map Display

The Map displays one of four selectable map sources with any data layers selected in the Layers tab overlaid. Change the location displayed in the map area using the pan and zoom tools.

If the user selects ESRI Streets & Imagery or PA Map Imagery & ESRI Imagery, a slider bar will be visible that allows the user to fade from one display to the other.

Toolbar

The GIS Tool Bar for the Oil and Gas Mapping application contains several tools for interacting with the map. 

Zoom In

    The “Zoom In” tool changes the map scale to see more detail on the map.  To zoom in on the displayed map first click the “Zoom In” tool to select it.  Then click and hold the left mouse button, move the mouse pointer to draw a box, and then release the mouse button.  When using a mouse or trackpad with a scroll wheel or scrolling gesture, scrolling up will trigger the zoom tool centered on the location of the mouse pointer.

Zoom Out

    The “Zoom Out” tool changes the map scale to see a larger section of the map.  To zoom out on the displayed map first click the “Zoom Out” tool to select it.  Then click and hold the left mouse button, move the mouse pointer to draw a box, and then release the mouse button.  Drawing a smaller box will zoom out further and drawing a larger box will zoom out “less.”  When using a mouse or trackpad with a scroll wheel or scrolling gesture, scrolling down will trigger the zoom tool centered on the location of the mouse pointer.

Zoom to Pennsylvania

    The “Zoom to Pennsylvania” tool displays the entire state of Pennsylvania in the map area.

Zoom to Previous Extent

    The “Zoom to Previous Extent” tool returns the map to the previous location after using the Pan tool or to the previous scale after using the “Zoom In” or “Zoom Out” tools.  This tool can be used repeatedly until returning to the initial map display.

Zoom to Next Extent

    The “Zoom to Next Extent” tool reverts changes made by using the “Zoom to Previous Extent” function.

Pan

    Use the Pan tool to change the displayed map section by clicking on a point and dragging the displayed map section.

Clear Graphics

    The “Clear Graphics” tool removes highlights, user-drawn lines and polygons, points, and labels from the map area.

 

Identify

    The Identify tool displays a list of attributes at a specific point on the map.  The tool displays attributes from any currently visible data layers selected in the Layers tab.  Click the Identify tool and then click a point on the map to display a pop-up window.  If the pop-up window displays attributes from multiple layers as determined by the text “1 of n” then click the right-arrow to view the next dataset.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Click in the map area to use the keyboard for the pan and zoom tools.  Use the arrow keys ([á], [â], [ß], [ŕ]) to pan the map up, down, left, and right.  Use the [+] and [-] keys on the numeric keypad to zoom in and zoom out.

 

Support

For assistance using the Oil and Gas Mapping application contact the Business Support Help Desk.

Phone: (717) 787-HELP

Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.