Drilling for gas in WY

[Bambistew]

Problems foreseen with gas project
Associated Press

ROCK SPRINGS (AP) - A proposed natural gas project is expected to strain housing and community services in the small southwestern Wyoming towns of Baggs and Wamsutter, according to a federal environmental study.

In addition, the tax revenues from the project won't be enough to fund additional housing and infrastructure improvements that might be needed to absorb the arrival of more people, the study concluded.

The Bureau of Land Management recently released for public review the final Environmental Impact Statement for the Desolation Flats Natural Gas Development Project.


The document analyzes the potential effects of the drilling and production operations proposed for the area.

Marathon Oil, EOG Resources, Yates Petroleum and other companies are seeking BLM permission to drill up to 385 natural gas wells on 233,000 acres in the Desolation Flats area located about 21 miles south of Wamsutter.

The area lies primarily in eastern Sweetwater County and in a small portion of western Carbon County.

The BLM's Adobe Town Wilderness Study Area borders on the project's eastern side.

The environmental study said that if the Desolation Flats project is approved, development would begin later this year and continue for about 20 years. Ongoing production could last up to 50 years.

The project area holds about 1.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, according to the federal estimates.

Operators are seeking to drill up to 385 natural gas wells at 361 well locations.

The area contains 63 producing and shut-in gas wells and a small infrastructure of pipelines and roads.

The federal study said 542 miles of new roads and upgrades and 361 miles of new pipeline would be required.

The study said the project would boost the local economy, result in more jobs and yield increased taxes.

But Erik Molvar, spokesman with the Laramie-based Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, criticized the environmental study for not looking at a slower pace of development.

He said the BLM's study also didn't require the companies to use directional drilling to minimize impacts and disturbances to wildlife and winter range in the area.

The study said some big game species would be temporarily displaced from some crucial winter range areas.

But the plan calls for extensive monitoring of a variety of wildlife populations during the course of project.

From that monitoring data, appropriate mitigation actions would be developed

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[Ithaca 37]

"The study said some big game species would be temporarily displaced from some crucial winter range areas.

But the plan calls for extensive monitoring of a variety of wildlife populations during the course of project.

From that monitoring data, appropriate mitigation actions would be developed"

Does anyone believe the wildlife that is going to be "temporarily" displaced will ever come back to the habitat? Do you think the wildlife isn't going to die when it's "temporarily" displaced? Does it give you any comfort that the wildlife will be "monitored"? All that means to me is that they'll watch while it dies off.

 

[FAIRCHASEBEN]

That's how I read it Ithaca ; The big game will be rounded up , trucked to a temporary wildlife sanctuary with crucial winter range conditions similar to their natural habitat , monitored extensively and then returned once the natural gas runs out . The "temporarily displaced" animals will then live happily ever after with little or no recollection of the entire experience . So what's the problem ?

 

[1_pointer]

Wildlife are considered temporarily displaced even with the building of fences, prescribed burns, or mechanical veg treatments. This does not mean that they will be gone for ever, just that they will more than likely vacate the immediate area due to increased human activity. However, if the 'temporary' displacement is long enough, it could be quite some time before animals return.

 

[ELKCHSR]

Not changeing the subject, but I saw three antalope on the outskirts of Anaconda the other day on the big tailing pile just East of town. It amazed me that the speed goats would be getting this close to town finally. They are starting to spread thru this area again after being nearly wiped out over the last 100 years...It won't be long I would suspect and I will be able to hunt those very close to home like I do the elk and deer...

 

[mtmiller]

I don't buy into the temp. displacement theory very often. I am able to mitigate the drilling time frame (no drilling on crucial winter range during sensitive periods). I have never had a problem with that and in my opinion, the well is not much of an impact to big game after it is drilled or during the drilling process. The problem I see are the roads and traffic associated with the production. As for the pipelines, most of the time they follow the road and when they do deviate it usually rehabs. after a couple of years in this part of the country.

I do not feel I have adequate protection for big game on crucial winter range when I can put a hold on drilling (a 72 hour process) during sensitive winter time periods during 1 year, but no seasonal protection for the remainder of the life of the well.

The federal study said 542 miles of new roads

This does not sound temp. to me.

 

[Oak]

Yeah, but the article said "critical" winter range. How do you define "critical"? I can understand how wildlife can be temporarily displaced from most places...what about critical places?

Oak

 

[Tom]

Can you require your people to have a lock on the gate to the road? Then, they have to get you to unlock it, to get on the road, if they need to? How do you protect it, enforce the protection?

 

[lilbiggun]

I'll agree with ya on the road issue, but they said the same thing about critters up on the north slope and now on the anwr debate. The caribou numbers have increased dramatically. Why, cuz the workers and activities involved with a rig keep the predators away. They also have very strict rules for the workers about wildlife. they even think about hunting or harrassing a critter around a rig and they will be fired.

Some people say that the pipeline will disrupt migration patterns. thats bullshit also if its built right. Lets face it they are gonna drill, money talks in DC and it will happen. I just hope they do it the right way.

 

[Wyodeerhunter]

I live in the area that the original post is talking about and I've seen the damages it has done. I don't think the antelope and wild horses are affected by it much, except that for the antelope the oil field has created more roads for hunters to shoot at them from. I would say that most those antelope would die of natural causes if there wasn't as many roads cuz most hunters don't leave the truck.

And as Mtmiller said the roads open up so much new territory for people to access that it may not affect say the sage grouse population too great because of the road, its just the consequences of the road that affect them.

I agree with what a lot of people has said about the oilfield here(look SW of Pinedale) but like littlebiggun said, they are going to do it regardless.