Drilling OK'd on Roan
BLM plan for plateau carries restrictions
By Nancy Lofholm and Kim McGuire
Denver Post Staff Writers
DenverPost.com
Battlement Mesa - In an attempt to balance energy development with nature preservation, the federal government Thursday unveiled a plan to open part of the Roan Plateau's top to oil and gas drilling.
The plan, which officials hope will be a model for energy development, opens about half the public lands on the plateau top to drilling - but imposes restrictions on energy development.
"We got it as good as we could," said Russ George, executive director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources and one of the plan's collaborators. "It's all about balance."
The Roan Plateau, with its riches in wildlife, waterfalls and rare plants - as well as natural gas - became a battlefield among energy companies, local officials, federal land managers, sportsmen and conservationists.
It has taken more than six years to craft the energy plan for the plateau, which rises to 9,000 feet in elevation.
"The plan is an innovative plan," said Sally Wisely, the state director for the federal Bureau of Land Management. "It's not going to please everyone."
It drew mixed reviews after being outlined at a BLM news conference here Thursday.
"Whatever good innovations might be in here - it's not what the citizens asked for. That is not to drill on the top of the Roan Plateau," said Steve Smith, a spokesman for the Wilderness Society.
Colorado Oil and Gas Association officials said the proposed phased development over long periods of time might make the Roan's gas resources less economically attractive.
The plan allows energy companies to get at nearly 90 percent of the estimated 4.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas under the plateau top.
Drilling, however, is restricted to 1 percent - about 350 acres - of the plateau top at any given time. Exploration would occur in a staged progression over six defined areas. A drilling area would have to be restored before work could start in another area.
About half the public lands on the plateau top would be off-limits to surface disturbances such as drilling, roads or pipelines.
No new roads or pipelines would be allowed on the sides of the plateau visible from Interstate 70. The plateau top already has 157 miles of roads and 31 wells drilled on private lands. Energy companies have cut two new roads to the plateau top on private lands.
In a measure designed to give land managers more control, only one operator would conduct all the on-the-ground work for as many as 14 leaseholders on top of the plateau. The leaseholders would select that operator.
While applauding the move to open the plateau for energy exploration, oil and gas industry representatives questioned the go-slow approach advocated by the plan.
These restrictions, industry officials say, may put a damper on interest in the plateau.
"The point is, you may not have companies bidding at the highest level given the timeline that could be attached to this project," said Greg Schnacke, the executive president of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association.
Smaller, independent oil and gas companies would have an even tougher time sinking capital into exploration of a site that might require a long waiting period, said Jon Bargas, a spokesman for the Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States.
"It certainly gives the upper hand to big oil to drill the Roan," Bargas said.
Oil and gas companies with major operations in Garfield County were still reviewing the management plan Thursday and hesitated to say whether they were interested in leases on the plateau.
"I think we have to take a close look at what's the best use of our capital and what kind of opportunities are available to us before making any decisions," said Doug Hock, a spokesman for Encana Corp.
Garfield County Commissioner Trési Houpt said she is upset that such an environmentally diverse and sensitive place as the plateau will have to be the testing grounds for the drilling plan.
"I'm disappointed that we didn't have a pilot project that would really let us test this and refine it before bringing it to the top of the Roan Plateau," she said.
Rifle Mayor pro tem Alan Lambert expressed concern over whether the BLM will be able to enforce the new drilling plan.
The BLM Glenwood Springs field office's staff of 25 has been joined in the past four months by 19 new employees, said director Jaime Connell.
"I think we can do it," she said. "I'm far more confident than I was before."
Republican U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard praised the plan, saying it should serve as a model for other federal agencies, while Democrat U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar expressed disappointment that drilling would be allowed on the plateau.
Randy Hampton, a spokesman for the Colorado Division of Wildlife, said he was glad the plan scrapped an earlier idea to delay drilling on top until the bottom of the plateau was tapped first. This way, the wildlife range at the bottom will receive the same protection as the calving range on the top, he said.
A formal 30-day protest period of the plan will begin Sep. 15. After protests are addressed and Gov. Bill Owens reviews the plan, the BLM will put leases on top of the Roan out for bid.
BLM plan for plateau carries restrictions
By Nancy Lofholm and Kim McGuire
Denver Post Staff Writers
DenverPost.com
Battlement Mesa - In an attempt to balance energy development with nature preservation, the federal government Thursday unveiled a plan to open part of the Roan Plateau's top to oil and gas drilling.
The plan, which officials hope will be a model for energy development, opens about half the public lands on the plateau top to drilling - but imposes restrictions on energy development.
"We got it as good as we could," said Russ George, executive director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources and one of the plan's collaborators. "It's all about balance."
The Roan Plateau, with its riches in wildlife, waterfalls and rare plants - as well as natural gas - became a battlefield among energy companies, local officials, federal land managers, sportsmen and conservationists.
It has taken more than six years to craft the energy plan for the plateau, which rises to 9,000 feet in elevation.
"The plan is an innovative plan," said Sally Wisely, the state director for the federal Bureau of Land Management. "It's not going to please everyone."
It drew mixed reviews after being outlined at a BLM news conference here Thursday.
"Whatever good innovations might be in here - it's not what the citizens asked for. That is not to drill on the top of the Roan Plateau," said Steve Smith, a spokesman for the Wilderness Society.
Colorado Oil and Gas Association officials said the proposed phased development over long periods of time might make the Roan's gas resources less economically attractive.
The plan allows energy companies to get at nearly 90 percent of the estimated 4.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas under the plateau top.
Drilling, however, is restricted to 1 percent - about 350 acres - of the plateau top at any given time. Exploration would occur in a staged progression over six defined areas. A drilling area would have to be restored before work could start in another area.
About half the public lands on the plateau top would be off-limits to surface disturbances such as drilling, roads or pipelines.
No new roads or pipelines would be allowed on the sides of the plateau visible from Interstate 70. The plateau top already has 157 miles of roads and 31 wells drilled on private lands. Energy companies have cut two new roads to the plateau top on private lands.
In a measure designed to give land managers more control, only one operator would conduct all the on-the-ground work for as many as 14 leaseholders on top of the plateau. The leaseholders would select that operator.
While applauding the move to open the plateau for energy exploration, oil and gas industry representatives questioned the go-slow approach advocated by the plan.
These restrictions, industry officials say, may put a damper on interest in the plateau.
"The point is, you may not have companies bidding at the highest level given the timeline that could be attached to this project," said Greg Schnacke, the executive president of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association.
Smaller, independent oil and gas companies would have an even tougher time sinking capital into exploration of a site that might require a long waiting period, said Jon Bargas, a spokesman for the Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States.
"It certainly gives the upper hand to big oil to drill the Roan," Bargas said.
Oil and gas companies with major operations in Garfield County were still reviewing the management plan Thursday and hesitated to say whether they were interested in leases on the plateau.
"I think we have to take a close look at what's the best use of our capital and what kind of opportunities are available to us before making any decisions," said Doug Hock, a spokesman for Encana Corp.
Garfield County Commissioner Trési Houpt said she is upset that such an environmentally diverse and sensitive place as the plateau will have to be the testing grounds for the drilling plan.
"I'm disappointed that we didn't have a pilot project that would really let us test this and refine it before bringing it to the top of the Roan Plateau," she said.
Rifle Mayor pro tem Alan Lambert expressed concern over whether the BLM will be able to enforce the new drilling plan.
The BLM Glenwood Springs field office's staff of 25 has been joined in the past four months by 19 new employees, said director Jaime Connell.
"I think we can do it," she said. "I'm far more confident than I was before."
Republican U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard praised the plan, saying it should serve as a model for other federal agencies, while Democrat U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar expressed disappointment that drilling would be allowed on the plateau.
Randy Hampton, a spokesman for the Colorado Division of Wildlife, said he was glad the plan scrapped an earlier idea to delay drilling on top until the bottom of the plateau was tapped first. This way, the wildlife range at the bottom will receive the same protection as the calving range on the top, he said.
A formal 30-day protest period of the plan will begin Sep. 15. After protests are addressed and Gov. Bill Owens reviews the plan, the BLM will put leases on top of the Roan out for bid.
