Farmington Field Office Minimizing Impacts in Oil

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Farmington Field OfficeMinimizing Impacts in Oil
Gas Development Through Implementation of BMPs

• Steve Henke
• District Manager

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Federal Units

• Nearly half the basin is covered in Federal Units
• A single operator per unit results in well
  planned development of the resource

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Setting Standards(raising the bar)

• Utilizing existing infrastucture
• -Focus on re-completions (commingles), twin
  locations, new technology (directional drilling)
  and mitigation measures
• Roads
• Reseeding
• Pits/fencing
• Drilling location rehabilitation

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Collaborative Groupsto Achieve Consensus

• San Juan Basin Working Group
• -NMOGA sponsored
• Public Roads Committee
• Govt./Grazing and OG Committee
• -Rancher/surface owner participates in siting
  decisions

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Conditions of Approval (COAs)

• All well ties in existing roads
• Pad size and production lay-out standardization
• Produced water gathering systems where feasible
• Interim reclamation

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Twinned Locations
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Directional Well Types Used in the San Juan Basin
S Shape
Horizontal
Extends reach beyond current spacing unit
Exposes more reservoir to drainage
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Directional Drilling
Minimize Surface Impact By drilling multiple
wells From a single pad
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Commingled Completion of Producing Intervals
Ojo Alamo
Kirtland Shale
Fruitland Coal
Pictured Cliffs
Both horizons Producing from Same well
Mesaverde
Dakota
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Roads

• Over 5,200 miles of dirt roads on BLM in the
  basin
• Developed a road maintenance agreement with
  industry
• 14 Road Maintenance Units
• Funding is pro-rated based on number of wells
• Spent over 2.2 million last year in maintenance
• Have surface owner/ rancher representatives on
  each of the 14 units

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Transportation Planning

• Upgrade of collector roads to Gold Book standards
  within 10 years
• Plan for all 14 units
• - Off-Highway-Vehicle (OHV) designations
• - Road closures and rehabilitation
• - Road retention, maintenance and
• upgrade

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Roads Arkansas Loop (before)

• Extremely muddy and rutted Arkansas Loop
  roadway.
• Exposed pipeline in roadway being driven over.

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Arkansas Loop (after)

• Road is crowned, elevated pipeline is covered
  and a layer of crushed sandstone is added on top
  to prevent rutting during wet weather reseeding
  of adjacent pipeline corridor and roadside areas.

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Laying Pipe along ROW

• Stringing pipe at trench. Pipeline located
  adjacent to existing road to minimize
  disturbance.
• Pipe laying machine in action.

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Reclaim Unnecessary Roads(500 miles targeted for
future closure)
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Environmental Compliance

• Communicate Expectations
• 100 compliance on all new surface disturbance
  for wells, pipelines and roads
• Feedback loop to permitting staff from compliance
  staff (continual process improvement)
• Established standards for interim well site
  reclamation

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Post-construction Compliance

• Well site reclamation
• Reseeding pipeline right-of-way

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Interim Rehabilitation

• Interim rehabilitation of well pad
• Pipeline rehab.

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Minimize Long-term Disturbance

• Recent well pad with tear-drop shape and crushed
  sandstone roadbase
• Tear-drop location with interim rehabilitation

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Properly Contoured Well Sites
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Wildlife Seasonal Closures (483,807 acres)
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Preservation of Raptor Habitat

• 37 wintering ACEC units consisting of 4,141 acres
• Largest population of wintering Bald Eagles on
  BLM in New Mexico
• ACEC Areas closed from November to March to
  minimize habitat loss

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Preventive Measures to Protect Wildlife

• Expanded steel mesh required on all open tanks to
  protect birds and small mammals.
• Coned screens are placed on separator stacks to
  prevent entry by bats birds.

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Minimizing Truck Traffic

• Telemetry truck trips to well sites occur only
  when problems are evident and servicing is
  required
• Centralized water disposal facilities with water
  gathering systems reduces trips by water haulers

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Good Neighbor Initiative Compressor Noise

• Compressors are used in the oil field to enhance
  gas production.
• Compressor Noise however can have a negative
  impact on quality of life for nearby residents,
  recreational users, and wildlife.
• As gas field matures, the compression
  requirements will increase

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Noise Sensitive Areas(NSAs)

• 12 Boundary Focused Noise Sensitive Areas
• 50 Receptor Focused Noise Sensitive Area
• Apply adaptive management to monitor and adjust
  priorities.

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Noise Abatement Structures
Noise suppression features in an ACEC (upper
left) and within the urban interface
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Reseeding

• Agreement to modify seeding stipulations
• Better oversight of contractor work
• Alternative technology (high intensity livestock
  use)
• Study/Recommendations from New Mexico State
  University seeding mix

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Experimental Seeding

• Co-op with industry, BLM, and NMSU Agriculture
  Science Station
• Testing 16 different seed varieties (both native
  and non-native) on various soil types

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Fencing Facilities

• Before Fence down berms eroded (easy access by
  wildlife and livestock).
• After Fence has top-rail berm armored with
  gravel walk-over access installed produced
  water pipe for easy access by hauler.

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Off-Site Mitigation

• Voluntary program started in 2002 (all majors are
  participating)
• 1,000/acre contribution
• 70 to achieve land health standards on grazing
  allotments.
• Recommendations for fund expenditures are made to
  BLM by the San Juan County Farm and Ranch
  Improvement Board.
• 977,000 contributed to date

• 30 for BLM on monitoring/studies and Special
  Management
• Areas (wildlife, recreation, cultural, TE,
  riparian) projects

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Goals of the Offsite Program

• Mitigate long term surface disturbance
• Mitigate loss of forage for Livestock and
  Wildlife
• Mitigate Habitat Fragmentation
• Work in Partnership for improving rangeland and
  watershed health
• Develop and maintain a partnership with industry,
  ranchers, and the public that works toward
  improving the landscape for future generations.

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Helicopter Supported Reseeding and Aerial
Tebuthiuron Treatments
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Riparian Stabilization

• Youth Conservation Corps constructing Largo
  Canyon sediment traps

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Hydromower Treatment to Restore Mosaic Landscape
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Water Reservoir Water Well
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Interim Reclamation of Well Pads
After drilling and completion of a gas well, all
free standing fluids from the pits will be
hauled off for disposal.
After the fluids have been hauled off the liner
is removed to the mud line and hauled to a
disposal facility.
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After closing the reserve pit and the blow pit
the location is prepared for the seeding process.
Pit Clean-Up

• Re-define diversions
• Re-contour slopes
• Incorporate BMPs
• Define teardrop driving pattern

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Seeding Site
Seeding Process

• Select seed mixtures
• Appropriate seed depth
• Site specific concerns
• Land owner preferences

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Seeding Site
Mulching Process

• Retains moisture
• Control wind erosion
• Control water erosion

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Straw Mulching
The final process is crimping of the mulch.
This ensures that the mulching is anchored, which
prevents wind and water erosion and also
stabilization of soils.
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Reserve pit and blow pit area have been closed
and re-contoured.