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Inspired by the discovery of the red nova V1309 Sco (Nova Scorpii 2008) andthe fact that its progenitor was a binary system with a rapidly decreasingorbital period, we have searched for period changes in OGLE binary stars. Wehave selected a sample of 22 462 short-period (P_orb < 4d) eclipsing binarystars observed toward the Galactic bulge by the OGLE-III survey in years2001-2009. This dataset was extended with photometry from OGLE-II (1997-2000)and the first six years of OGLE-IV (2010-2015). For some stars, the data weresupplemented with OGLE-I photometry (1992-1995). After close inspection of thewhole sample we have found 56 systems with realistic period decrease and 52systems with realistic period increase. We have also recognized 35 systems withcyclic period variations. The highest negative period change rate of -1.943x10^-4 d/y has been detected in detached eclipsing binary OGLE-BLG-ECL-139622with P_orb = 2.817 d, while all other found systems are contact binaries withorbital periods mostly shorter than 1.0 d. For 22 our systems with decreasingorbital period the absolute rate is higher than the value reported recently foreclipsing binary KIC 9832227. Interestingly, there is an excess of systems withhigh negative period change rate over systems with positive rate. We cannotexclude the possibility that some of the contact binaries with relatively longorbital period and high negative period change rate will merge in the future.However, our results rather point to the presence of tertiary companions in theobserved systems and/or spot activity on the surface of the binary components.

Searching for Potential Mergers among 22 500 Eclipsing Binary Stars in the OGLE-III Galactic Bulge Fields