BLM Pinedale Anticline SEIS released
60-day comment period through Feb. 12, 2007
by Bureau of Land Management
December 16, 2006
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Pinedale Field Office issued a Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Pinedale Anticline Oil and Gas Exploration and Development Project in Sublette County, Wyoming, on Friday, December 15.
The public may comment on the project SEIS during a 60-day comment period beginning today through February 12, 2007.
Questar Exploration and Production, Shell Exploration and Production Company, and Ultra Resources Inc. propose to conduct year-round drilling exploratory and development wells on their leases within existing natural gas fields in Sublette County.
The project area, 198,034 acres of federal, private, and state land generally located south of Pinedale, contains an estimated 21 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves. The production of natural gas could generate approximately $16 billion in federal royalties, $8 billion of which would go to the State of Wyoming. In addition, year-round access may provide opportunities for a year-round workforce instead of the seasonal boom and bust cycle.
The operators suggest drilling an additional 4,399 wells from an additional 250 well pads over a span of 60 years to effectively recover the mineral resource. The proposed development includes directional drilling that will allow multiple wells to be drilled from a single pad , reducing development impacts. The SEIS analyzes the impacts to surface and ground water resources; air quality; wildlife and their habitats; reclamation; visual resources; transportation, noxious weed control; grazing, cultural and paleontological resources; wetland and riparian resources, threatened and endangered animal and plant species; and socioeconomic resources.
The Federal Register Notice of Availability published on December 15, 2007, has an incorrect web address for the PAPA SEIS. The correct web address is: http://www.wy.blm.gov/nepa/pfodocs/anticline/seis/.
The SEIS is also available at the Pinedale Field Office. Written comments or resource information on this proposal should be sent to the Bureau of Land Management, Pinedale Field Office, Matt Anderson, Project Manager, 432 East Mill Street, P.O. Box 768, Pinedale, WY. 82941. E-mails may be sent to WYMail_PAPA_YRA@blm.gov.
The SEIS will supplement the 2000 Pinedale Anticline Project Area (PAPA) Record of Decision (ROD), which is posted online at http://www.wy.blm.gov/nepa/pfodocs/anticline/.
For more information, contact Matt Anderson at 307-367-5328 or e-mail matt_anderson@blm.gov.
Related Links:
Plan calls for drilling expansion, by Whitney Royster, Jackson Hole Star Tribune (12/16/06, www.jacksonholestartrib.com)
Pinedale BLM Field Office
BLM Wyoming
|
