CBM development

[Nemont]

August 3, 2004


BLM OKs drilling in remote area
Associated Press

RAWLINS (AP) - The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has approved a 385-well natural gas project east of the Adobe Town area.

Marathon Oil, EOG Resources, Yates Petroleum and other companies plan to drill the gas and disposal wells at 361 sites.

The project will also involve building or improving 450 miles of roads and 361 miles of pipeline, and building four compressor stations, a gas processing plant and three water evaporation ponds. Drilling will continue for about 20 years, producing about 1.1 trillion cubic feet of gas.

Some 4,923 acres out of the 233,542-acre project area will be disturbed for well pads, roads and other facilities.

Environmental groups have criticized the drilling in the rugged and remote area 20 miles south of Wamsutter. BLM officials say measures will be taken to keep environmental harm to a minimum.

Dave Simons, team leader for the environmental study for the drilling proposal, said the measures include reducing well locations in wildlife winter range, prairie dog towns and sage grouse habitat.

Also, permanent structures will not be allowed within 325 yards of predatory bird nests and no surface disturbance will be permitted within two miles of sage grouse mating grounds.

The drilling is expected to create 246 drilling jobs initially and 156 production jobs later. The BLM says $1.14 billion !!!! will be brought to the area in wages, taxes, increased assessed valuation and purchases over the lifetime of the project.

I don't know how wildlife and hunters can compete with that kind of money.

Nemont

 

[Oak]

Some 4,923 acres out of the 233,542-acre project area will be disturbed

The "disturbed" area will be much greater when you factor in the loss of habitat surrounding that 450 miles of roads. What a friggin joke.

Oak

 

[BuzzH]

Oak,

I agree.

 

[Tom]

Don't they ever restrict road access?

 

[BuzzH]

Nope, nor is it enforced if it were restricted. Further, the fat-assed atvers wouldnt pay any attention if there were restrictions.

The vicious cycle of roads...

 

[mtmiller]

Tom,

As a condition of approval (COA), we are looking a requiring some gas roads to be closed for public motorized vehicular travel.

Administrative use will be permitted, but seasonally we are trying to minimize trips (for example 2 monthly trips in crucial big game winter range during severe winter conditions). So far it has been received well by industry, but if it impedes production it will be interesting to see if it is adheared to.

BTW, I don't work in a CBM area, so I won't speak about their issues.