An environmental analysis by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has found that approving eight natural gas wells on existing federal leases north of the Missouri River within and adjacent to the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument in Montana would have little environmental impact. BLM has recommended approval of the wells, but said it will not make a final decision until after a public comment period ends in mid-February.
Land
Articles from Land
Land Disputes Hold Up Some Projects in Far North
Despite a regional pocket of persistent resistance, Canadian producers keep on expanding their northern frontier of natural gas development by connecting newly-discovered reserves to the pipeline grid. While a small Indian band continued to hold up the action last week in a 50,000-square-mile area of northeastern British Columbia, the industry moved to add an entirely new supply area in the southern Northwest Territories.
Industry Briefs
President Bush announced his intention to nominate Kathleen Burton Clarke to be director of the Bureau of Land Management at the Department of Interior. She has served as the executive director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources since 1998, and she was deputy director from 1993 to 1998. Clarke served in the office of Rep. James V. Hansen from 1987 to 1993, first as director of constituent services and then as executive director. A Utah native, she is a graduate of Utah State University.
Atmos Makes a Major Push in Cajun Land
Atmos Energy Corp. said it has reached a definitive agreement topay $375 million for the gas operations of two Citizens UtilitiesCo. distribution subsidiaries — Louisiana Gas Service Co. and LGSNatural Gas Co. Atmos said the acquisitions will make it thelargest natural gas distributor in Louisiana with approximately359,000 customers.
Infinity Gains CBM Green River Drilling Approval
Infinity Inc. plans to move forward with its drilling plans in the Green River Basin of Wyoming after the Bureau of Land Management approved three of four drilling permits for its LaBarge project there. Infinity has already drilled one coalbed methane (CBM) well in the basin, and independent engineers estimate net reserves of recoverable gas of more than 550 Bcf — putting cumulative future potential cash flows (10% discount rate and price of $2.69/Mcf) at $374 million.
Infinity Gains CBM Green River Drilling Approval
Infinity Inc. yesterday said that the Bureau of Land Management has approved three of four drilling permits for its LaBarge project in the Green River Basin of Wyoming. Infinity has already drilled one coalbed methane (CBM) well there, and independent engineers estimate net reserves of recoverable gas of more than 550 Bcf — putting cumulative future potential cash flows (10% discount rate and price of $2.69/Mcf) at $374 million.
People
William A. (Andy) Lang has joined Coast Energy Group (CEG), aSugar Land, TX division of CornerStone Propane Partners L.P., aspresident and COO. Lang most recently directed activities of MHPStorage as head of NiSource’s EnergyUSA-TPC affiliate. Prior tothat he was a managing director of Southern Co. Energy Marketingand senior vice president at Vastar Resources. Coast Energy, a fullservice energy solutions company, supplies, purchases, processesand markets over 48,000 b/d of natural gas liquids.
BLM Expands Oil Pipeline Review
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is taking no chances in thewake of the Carlsbad, NM, natural gas pipeline explosion. It hasordered a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a proposalto refurbish and put back into service the Equilon Pipeline, a406-mile, 42-year old crude oil pipeline from Odessa, TX toBloomfield, NM.
Industry Briefs
Washington Group International has been awarded a turnkeyproject valued at more than $200 million to expand Louisiana Land& Exploration’s Lost Cabin Gas Plant facility in centralWyoming. The project will more than double the existing capacity ofthe plant. The new plant will be capable of processing 180 MMcf/dof gas, removing hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, elementalsulfur, and other impurities. LL&E is a wholly owned subsidiaryof Burlington Resources. “LL&E has had great success over thepast several years with this plant and the associated well drillingprogram,” said Washington Petroleum & Chemicals President BobWiesel. “The combination of growing demand, efficient operation,and reservoir volumes is creating the need for the plant to beexpanded again. We designed and built the original Train 1 and theTrain 2 expansion. We take it as a great sign of confidence thatLL&E has chosen us again for the larger Train 3 expansion.” Theraw gas to be processed in the plant comes from wells in the deepMadison Formation in the Madden field in central Wyoming.
Traders: It’s Beginning to Look Like Last Winter
For the third straight day, unseasonable weather teamed with afalling futures screen to land a knockout blow on price bulls’chins, as only a few cash points escaped losses of more than adime. A huge swath of high 60- to mid 70-degree temperatures acrossthe Rockies, Gulf Coast, Midcontinent and Northeast eradicated anywinter demand yesterday and caused traders to long for the golfcourse instead of the office. Adding fuel to the fire, forecastsare calling for similar weather for the rest of the week.