Land

A dramatic increase in oil and natural gas development on federal lands over the past six years has stretched the staff of Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to a point that it has been unable to meet its environmental protection responsibilities, according to a new report issued by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Thursday.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published a final rule in last Friday’s Federal Register that revises the process the BLM will use in issuing right-of-way grants and calculating cost-recovery fees for the use of public lands for pipelines, roads, transmission lines and communications sites.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will publish a final rule in Friday’s Federal Register that revises the process the BLM will use in issuing right-of-way grants and calculating cost-recovery fees for the use of public lands for pipelines, roads, transmission lines and communications sites.

Citing “greatly improved” permit processing by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Western Gas Resources expects to grow its unconventional gas production by between 10-15% this year and 15-20% in 2006, company officials said in an earnings conference call last Thursday. While production, mainly from the Rockies area, was only up 5% in 2004 over 2003, net income increased 42% to a record $119.2 million.

Citing “greatly improved” permit processing by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Western Gas Resources expects to grow its unconventional gas production by between 10-15% this year and 15-20% in 2006, company officials said in an earnings conference call Thursday. While production, mainly from the Rockies area, was only up 5% in 2004 over 2003, net income increased 42% to a record $119.2 million.

Pioneer Natural Resources Co. is poised to become the third largest net land holder in Alaska following its announcement Thursday to expand its existing acreage on the North Slope. As part of a wide-sweeping plan, the Dallas-based producer is launching a joint exploration program in the first quarter with co-owners ConocoPhillips and Anadarko Petroleum Corp., with an eye on establishing a new core division in the state.

Questar’s year-round drilling plan for the Pinedale Anticline area in Wyoming was approved Tuesday by the state office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The program will be phased in over the next year, allowing Questar to significantly increase exploration and production activities while reducing its overall environmental impact through directional drilling and other measures.

Questar’s year-round drilling plan for the Pinedale Anticline area in Wyoming was approved Tuesday by the state office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The program will be phased in over the next year, allowing Questar to significantly increase exploration and production activities while reducing its overall environmental impact through directional drilling and other measures.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has imposed an “indefinite” moratorium on an environmental review of a potential natural gas drilling site on the Rocky Mountain Front in Montana in response to stiff local opposition. It plans to re-direct federal funds that were allotted for review of that project to another drilling prospect outside of the Front area where there is “more drilling [activity] and less controversy,” said a spokesman for BLM’s Montana State Office.