BP is raising its stake in North American natural gas, announcing it will invest up to $2.2 billion to double production from its acreage in the Wamsutter gas field in the Rocky Mountains. The multiyear drilling program is expected to increase BP’s share of ultimate recovery from the Wyoming field by 450 MMboe and increase daily net production 125-250 MMcf/d by the end of the decade.

The $2.2 billion outlay includes drilling 2,000 wells over the next 15 years and a two-year, $120 million technology field trial program that could lead to additional field development in the future.

“This major investment follows more than two years of focused, accelerated drilling and technical studies which revealed the untapped potential of the Wamsutter resource. It has created 1,600 new development locations,” said Tony Hayward, CEO of BP Exploration and Production. “It will allow us to continue aggressive development of one of the largest gas fields in the United States.”

The Wamsutter project is part of a projected 10-year, $15 billion investment program BP plans for its North American onshore operations. BP, which operates 950 fields in North America, is the largest operator in the Wamsutter field with an interest in 352,000 leased acres.

“BP is committed to continued development of secure U.S. energy supplies and is working with stakeholders and with local, state and federal officials to increase the supply of clean-burning natural gas to US markets,” said BP America President Ross Pillari. “Expanded development of the Wamsutter gas field is fundamental to that strategy.”

The Wamsutter field encompasses 1,700 square miles and is considered one of the largest tight gas resources in North America. The field has multiple operators and has produced 2 Tcf of gas from more than 2,000 wells.

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