O&G roads

Irrelevant · Jan 15, 2018

I've been trying to do some research for WY antelope using the County's various mapping sites to check which area of public land actually have a public road to access from. My hunting partner pulled up the area descriptions we were looking at on GoHunt and GH said of a particular unit, has good access via oil and gas roads. I had researched the same area as having very poor access via county roads. How/where would I find out which of these oil and gas roads are open to the public?

Topgun 30-06 · Jan 15, 2018

That's a new one on me and I have no idea, but I don't think there is anywhere that would have that information in black and white.

wlbiol · Jan 15, 2018

Most O/G roads on public land are open, but they can be closed to protect resources or prevent damage/vandalism with gates or signs. They are not considered part of the road system for BLM travel management, but for authorized access for the purpose (O/G) approved by BLM. Some become de facto public roads due to the amount of activity on them or how long they have been in place. Only BLM can prevent you from traveling these, unless otherwise stated in the approval process/decision. Most of these roads are supposed to be closed and removed once the authorized action is completed (well is plugged/abandoned) unless they are identified for a dual purpose or become part of the system.

El Guapo · Jan 15, 2018

Oil and gas roads across private are generally not open to public access.

mtmiller · Jan 16, 2018

wlbiol said:
Most O/G roads on public land are open, but they can be closed to protect resources or prevent damage/vandalism with gates or signs. They are not considered part of the road system for BLM travel management, but for authorized access for the purpose (O/G) approved by BLM. Some become de facto public roads due to the amount of activity on them or how long they have been in place. Only BLM can prevent you from traveling these, unless otherwise stated in the approval process/decision. Most of these roads are supposed to be closed and removed once the authorized action is completed (well is plugged/abandoned) unless they are identified for a dual purpose or become part of the system.

Agreed, good post.

El Guapo said:
Oil and gas roads across private are generally not open to public access.

Not a road issue, a private property issue. Landowner decision.

Irrelevant · Jan 16, 2018

So are the 1:100,000k BLM land surface management maps going to shed any light on these roads? Or is there a special transportation map that would have it? I would imagine there are areas where the Feds/State has acquired easements to access their lands across/through adjoining private lands, where would that information be kept?

Irrelevant · Jan 16, 2018

One of the reason's I'm really struggling with this is that I'm coming from WA where our Counties have established ROW up into almost all of our public lands.

Khunter · Jan 16, 2018

BLM surface management maps do a decent job of labelling open roads that cross pvt land. If it is a red line and has a labelled road number, expect it to be public even acroiss a pvt land portion is my experience.

Also agree with statement that O&G roads on public are generally open.

couinty roads are O&G roads can be but often are NOT the same. That is why county road mappping showed few public roads cuz the are not COUNTY maintained public roads

There are exceptions of course....

O&G roads

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