Winter drilling requests becoming more common
By MIKE McKIBBIN The Daily Sentinel
Monday, October 22, 2007
RIFLE — The common belief about natural-gas drilling rigs in areas frequented by deer and elk in cold winter months is the two do not mix.
That may be changing, though, if recent moves to grant requests from gas companies to drill in the winter, under controlled conditions, continue.
EnCana Oil and Gas is the most recent company to seek permission to drill wells in areas of Garfield County where deer and elk feed each winter. The Grass Mesa Homeowners Association voted this week to accept a $500,000 donation from EnCana for road maintenance and other needs in exchange for their support of an exemption to the winter restrictions on public lands near their homes, southwest of Rifle. After taxes, the amount will be approximately $375,000.
EnCana wants the Bureau of Land Management Glenwood Springs Field Office to allow winter drilling for the next two years, company spokesman Doug Hock said. That would allow the company to finish its 2004 drilling program two years early, by 2010. That plan called for 100 wells to be directionally drilled from 17 well pads on 4,065 acres of BLM land and 5,725 acres of private land on Grass Mesa. Hock said EnCana has up to 74 more wells yet to drill by 2010.
If the BLM approves the request, EnCana would have two drilling rigs on Grass Mesa year-round and establish an 8,000-acre temporary winter wildlife refuge adjacent to Grass Mesa.
Winter restrictions were lifted last year for Williams Production and Laramie Energy, now Plains Exploration and Production. Winter timing restrictions traditionally last from Dec. 1 to March 1.
Williams was granted exemptions on 880 federal acres in the Hayes Gulch area near Parachute and 720 federal acres near Rulison, north of the county landfill and near Anvil Points. [the article fails to mention here that this exemption was for a mule deer collaring study funded partially by Williams, mentioned below.]
The Colorado Division of Wildlife and Colorado Mule Deer Association also are involved in Williams’ study.
Williams spokeswoman Susan Alvillar said the first year of the three-year study went well. Using Williams’ high-tech HP Flex drilling rigs that can drill up to 22 wells from one well pad site, the company drilled 75 wells off five pads in Hayes Gulch and 60 wells off four pads in the Rulison area so far, she said.
“We put up locked gates at the Hayes Gulch site, so it’s a seclusion area for the deer,” Alvillar said. “The only times we’ll need to get in there is for minor maintenance.”
The Rulison area has more important deer habitat, where Williams avoided winter development on about 2,700 acres of its adjacent private land containing critical winter range, she said.
“This idea was kind of a field ‘aha’ moment, because we noticed out in the field it was kind of backward where the deer moved and where we put our rigs,” Alvillar said. “I think this could be the type of development we’ll see in the future. Not necessarily lifting winter restrictions everywhere, but the cluster of rigs to drill the wells and finish quicker.”
The BLM Grand Junction Field Office approved a request from Laramie Energy for a one-year pilot project to assess alternative habitat for wildlife last winter. Plains Exploration and Production concentrated drilling activities in the northern portion of the East Plateau field, east of Collbran, and kept livestock off of approximately 660 private acres of pasture through this spring.
How much is winter range worth to you?
- Thread starter Oak
- Start date
That doesn't sound good. Funny how easily certain issues can be 'bought'...
I'm just getting my first dose of energy development tomorrow (ie 3000mi of siesmic line) in a meeting. Let's hope I can keep my cool and my tongue and stay employed...
I'm just getting my first dose of energy development tomorrow (ie 3000mi of siesmic line) in a meeting. Let's hope I can keep my cool and my tongue and stay employed...
What you do on your time....
