Elkhunter
New member
BLM wants Jonah to grow
[size=-2]By Angus M. Thuermer Jr[/size][size=-2]
Jackson Hole Daily[/size][font=Helvetica, Geneva, Arial, SunSans-Regular, sans-serif][size=-2]
[/size][/font]
Buruea of Land Management has released a plan that proposes increasing the number of wells in the Jonah oil field and predicts impacts to wildlife and the environment as a result of $30 billion worth of economic activity.
The federal agency released a final environmental impact statement for a drilling infill project Friday, proposing ways to reduce the impact of adding 3,100 new wells to the 497 already approved. The field lies approximately 90 miles southeast of Jackson in Sublette County and covers 30,500 acres of high altitude sagebrush country that is home to grouse and antelope, among other species. Much of the land is federal.
EnCana Oil and Gas, BP American and other operators want to drill on 16,200 acres that are currently not disturbed, creating a minimum of 64 well pads per 640 acres and constructing 465 miles of new road, among other developments. Companies want to tap into the Lance and other formations approximately 11,000 feet underground.
Development of the field, and of the Pinedale Anticline closer to Jackson, has raised worries among conservationists regarding wildlife range, wildlife migration routes and air pollution. The BLM in its announcement touted the energy to be recovered.
“Under the preferred alternative, the project is expected to produce nearly 8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, providing enough natural gas to heat 96 million homes for a year and generate approximately $6.1 billion in royalties to be split between the federal treasury and the State of Wyoming,” the announcement states. “The total economic activity from natural gas and oil will generate approximately $30.5 billion over the life of the project,” which is up to 105 years.
Part of the plan is to limit the amount of land disturbed at any one time in the field to 46 percent of the area analyzed or a maximum of 20,334 acres. EnCana also will provide $24.5 million to fund off-site mitigation and monitoring, less than a tenth of a percent of the total economic activity.
“The preferred alternative for the Jonah Infill Drilling Project provides a crucial domestic source of natural gas while minimizing the impacts of development through on-site reclamation, off-site mitigation and incentives to minimizing development’s footprint,” said BLM Wyoming State Director Bob Bennett in a statement. “This project will be a vital component of the Wyoming and national economy for years to come.”
The project may affect air quality the nearby Bridger Wilderness of the Bridger-Teton National Forest, a place where the environment is supposed to be kept pristine, according to the study. Haze would increase, as would the deposition of pollutants in the Wind River Mountains.
“There is a potential for direct and cumulative visibility impacts to exceed visibility levels of concern within … Class I Bridger Wilderness Area and deposition thresholds within Bridger Wilderness Area, Popo Agie Wilderness Area, and Wind River Roadless Area,” the study states.
Wildlife also would be displaced, the study states. “Under the Preferred Alternative, between 1.6 percent and 1.7 percent of spring/summer/fall range in the Sublette [antelope] Herd Unit would be disturbed and habitat function on an unknown amount of adjacent habitat would be reduced,” the study states.
Antelope from Grand Teton National Park migrate to Sublette County in the second longest terrestrial migration in the Western Hemisphere, biologists say. Their fate, and the fate of sage grouse and mule deer have provoked worry among conservationists.
The Jonah infill drilling project study can be found on the BLM website at: www.wy.blm.gov/nepa/pfodocs/jonah/. Hard copies or CDs may be requested in writing from: BLM-Pinedale Office. Comments should be submitted by close of business Feb. 13 to: Jonah Infill Drilling Project, BLM-Pinedale Field Office, P.O. Box 768, Pinedale, WY 82941. Email comments may be submitted to: [email protected].
[size=-2]By Angus M. Thuermer Jr[/size][size=-2]
Jackson Hole Daily[/size][font=Helvetica, Geneva, Arial, SunSans-Regular, sans-serif][size=-2]
[/size][/font]
Buruea of Land Management has released a plan that proposes increasing the number of wells in the Jonah oil field and predicts impacts to wildlife and the environment as a result of $30 billion worth of economic activity.
The federal agency released a final environmental impact statement for a drilling infill project Friday, proposing ways to reduce the impact of adding 3,100 new wells to the 497 already approved. The field lies approximately 90 miles southeast of Jackson in Sublette County and covers 30,500 acres of high altitude sagebrush country that is home to grouse and antelope, among other species. Much of the land is federal.
EnCana Oil and Gas, BP American and other operators want to drill on 16,200 acres that are currently not disturbed, creating a minimum of 64 well pads per 640 acres and constructing 465 miles of new road, among other developments. Companies want to tap into the Lance and other formations approximately 11,000 feet underground.
Development of the field, and of the Pinedale Anticline closer to Jackson, has raised worries among conservationists regarding wildlife range, wildlife migration routes and air pollution. The BLM in its announcement touted the energy to be recovered.
“Under the preferred alternative, the project is expected to produce nearly 8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, providing enough natural gas to heat 96 million homes for a year and generate approximately $6.1 billion in royalties to be split between the federal treasury and the State of Wyoming,” the announcement states. “The total economic activity from natural gas and oil will generate approximately $30.5 billion over the life of the project,” which is up to 105 years.
Part of the plan is to limit the amount of land disturbed at any one time in the field to 46 percent of the area analyzed or a maximum of 20,334 acres. EnCana also will provide $24.5 million to fund off-site mitigation and monitoring, less than a tenth of a percent of the total economic activity.
“The preferred alternative for the Jonah Infill Drilling Project provides a crucial domestic source of natural gas while minimizing the impacts of development through on-site reclamation, off-site mitigation and incentives to minimizing development’s footprint,” said BLM Wyoming State Director Bob Bennett in a statement. “This project will be a vital component of the Wyoming and national economy for years to come.”
The project may affect air quality the nearby Bridger Wilderness of the Bridger-Teton National Forest, a place where the environment is supposed to be kept pristine, according to the study. Haze would increase, as would the deposition of pollutants in the Wind River Mountains.
“There is a potential for direct and cumulative visibility impacts to exceed visibility levels of concern within … Class I Bridger Wilderness Area and deposition thresholds within Bridger Wilderness Area, Popo Agie Wilderness Area, and Wind River Roadless Area,” the study states.
Wildlife also would be displaced, the study states. “Under the Preferred Alternative, between 1.6 percent and 1.7 percent of spring/summer/fall range in the Sublette [antelope] Herd Unit would be disturbed and habitat function on an unknown amount of adjacent habitat would be reduced,” the study states.
Antelope from Grand Teton National Park migrate to Sublette County in the second longest terrestrial migration in the Western Hemisphere, biologists say. Their fate, and the fate of sage grouse and mule deer have provoked worry among conservationists.
The Jonah infill drilling project study can be found on the BLM website at: www.wy.blm.gov/nepa/pfodocs/jonah/. Hard copies or CDs may be requested in writing from: BLM-Pinedale Office. Comments should be submitted by close of business Feb. 13 to: Jonah Infill Drilling Project, BLM-Pinedale Field Office, P.O. Box 768, Pinedale, WY 82941. Email comments may be submitted to: [email protected].
