A US Forest Service official rejected most objections raised by various groups regarding USFS's draft oil and gas leasing decision for the White River National Forest in western Colorado although Encana Corp. of Calgary was successful in its request to get a map included in the final decision.
West Slope Colorado Oil & Gas Association, Western Energy Alliance, and Public Lands Advocacy had objected to White River National Forest Supervisor Scott G. Fitzwilliams' draft record of decision.
The draft decision called for closing nearly 1.3 million acres of the forest to oil and gas leasing, 61,000 acres of which are in the Four Mile-Thompson Divide area, which has potential for the Niobrara and Mancos shales.
James Bedwell, acting deputy regional forester, in early May said he agreed with Fitzwilliams' decision to close the Thompson Divide area to future leasing.
Encana had requested a map showing application of new lease stipulations. Bedwell ordered Fitzwilliam includes such a map in his final decision. There is no timetable for a final decision although USFS officials estimate the review process could be done in 2 months.
Objections outlined
The groups filing objections had asked USFS to withdraw the plan and complete a comprehensive analysis required under the National Environmental Policy Act.
The West Slope Colorado Oil & Gas Association maintains minerals owned by US taxpayers should be available to benefit US taxpayers, David Ludlam, WSCOGA executive director, wrote in an email to UOGR. WSCOGA is based in Grand Junction.
"This forest plan largely prohibits future natural gas leasing and all but precludes meaningful, scaled development in the Mancos shale," Ludlam said. "The administration's response was predictable, perfunctory, and punitive towards maintaining diverse uses of national forest lands, including resource extraction."
He calls the Mancos and Niobrara shales "the future of oil and gas development on the West Slope."
Together, groups filing an objection had said the plan was "marred by political interference and superficial analysis" and that it failed to "analyze the actual oil and gas potential in the area, particularly of the Mancos and Niobrara formations."
Previously, Fitzwilliams noted that his decision was not permanent. "My authority to make lands available to leasing is valid for the life of this analysis-usually 15-20 years," Fitzwilliams said in his draft ROD.
"If new information or technological advances show the need to revisit this decision, I have the authority to do so. But at this time, I have decided to take a more conservation-minded approach to future gas leasing on the White River National Forest."
In the past, various companies have drilled or expressed interested in drilling test wells in the Mancos and Niobrara shales, including WPX Energy, Axia Energy LLC, Encana, and Blackhills Energy.
SG Interests Inc. of Houston in October 2012 applied with the US Bureau of Land Management to drill one gas well in the Thompson Divide area southwest of Sunlight Mountain Resort. The area of interest was in extreme eastern Garfield County, Colo.