BLM opens scoping period on oil and gas wells
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CANON CITY, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management Royal Gorge Field Office is seeking public comments on a proposal to develop oil and gas resources in the Denver Julesburg Basin.
Noble Energy Inc. is proposing to drill up to 89 oil wells from 15 new multi-well pads, in an area known as East Pony in the Denver Julesburg Oil and Gas Basin in northern Weld County. The project area is comprised of 8,294 acres, of which approximately 80 percent is private surface and 20 percent is Pawnee National Grasslands surface, administered by the U.S. Forest Service.
Less than one percent of the 190,000-acre PNG is located within the project area. The project area falls within a region of the DJ Basin that contains oil and gas development spanning several decades.
No surface disturbance activities are proposed on the PNG. Surface disturbance activities are proposed entirely on private surface. The project area includes 8,294 acres of mineral estate, of which 2,082 acres are federal minerals administered by the BLM and 6,212 acres are private fee minerals.
Noble is proposing to construct well pads and associated infrastructure, including roads, pipelines, centralized production facilities (called EcoNodes) and water supply wells needed to horizontally drill their leases within the project area. Of these wells, 63 new wells would target a combination of private and/or federal mineral estate and 26 new wells would target only private mineral estate.
A scoping period gives the public a chance to tell the BLM what issues and concerns they think should be addressed in the environmental assessment and alternatives before the BLM begins drafting the document. You can mail your comments to: BLM Royal Gorge Field Office, Attn: Aaron Richter, 3028 East Main Street, Canon City, CO 81212; or email to: rgfo_comments@blm.gov. Your comments will be most helpful if received by Feb. 6, 2015.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Thank you for your interest in the management of your public lands within the Royal Gorge Field Office.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.