Colorado

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, May 26 – Bill Barrett Corp., Denver, said its production in the Gibson Gulch portion of northern Mamm Creek field in the Piceance basin east of Rifle, Colo., was 122 MMcfd of gas equivalent in early May, up from an average of 109 MMcfe/d in the first quarter of 2010.

Given drilling efficiencies and natural gas liquids price realizations, the company plans to drill 130-140 wells at Gibson Gulch in 2010, retaining three rigs through August, and add 20 MMcfd of compression in the second quarter. At Mar. 31, 2010, the company had a 97% working interest in production from 574 gross wells.

At its Cottonwood Gulch northeast extension area of Grand Valley field northwest of Rifle, where the company acquired a 90% working interest in 40,300 undeveloped acres in June 2009, Barrett is participating in the mediation process over environmental group legal challenges to the leases. Barrett noted that the property has a signed Record of Decision for an Environmental Impact Statement and Resource Management Plan in effect with the US Bureau of Land Management.