Suite 801, The Chancery Building

1120 Lincoln Street

Denver, Colorado 80203

 

Monday, March 15, 2004

Agenda

 

À10:00 a.m.    Roll Call of Commissioners

 

                        Approval of Proceedings

 

À10:05 a.m.    Report from the Executive Director’s Office

 

10:15 a.m.    Report from the Director - Written report provided

 

Á10:30 a.m.    Report from the Assistant Attorney General

 

Á10:40 a.m.    Commissioner Comments

 

Á10:50 a.m.    Audience Comments

 

Á11:15 a.m.    Update of Monitoring in the San Juan Basin Required by COGCC Orders

                        Debbie Baldwin, COGCC Environmental Supervisor - 30 minutes

                        John Peterson, LT Environmental - 30 minutes

                        La Plata County Comments – 15 minutes

                        Commissioner Questions – 45 minutes

 

Á1:15 p.m.      Consent Agenda

 

                        Cause No. 407, Docket No. 0401-UP-01, Wattenberg Field, Weld County,

                        Applicant:                     Prima Oil & Gas Co.

                        Attorney:                      Peter A. Bjork

 

                        Subject:                       Request for an order to pool all non-consenting owners in the 80-acre drilling and spacing unit consisting of the W½ SW¼ of Section 34, Township 6 North, Range 67 West, 6th P.M. for the development and operation of the Codell/Niobrara Formation.

 

                        Comments:                  Application withdrawn; hearing cancelled.

                       

                        Cause No. 407, Docket No. 0402-UP-02, Wattenberg Field, Weld County,

                        Applicant:                     Prima Oil & Gas Co.

                        Attorney:                      Peter A. Bjork

 

                        Subject:                       Request for an order to pool all non-consenting owners in the 80-acre drilling and spacing unit consisting of the E½ SW¼ of Section 34, Township 6 North, Range 67 West, 6th P.M. for the development and operation of the Codell/Niobrara Formation.

 

                        Comments:                  Application withdrawn; hearing cancelled.

 

Cause No. 112, Docket No. 0403-AW-05, Ignacio Blanco Field, La Plata County,

Applicant:                     Four Star Oil & Gas Company

Attorney:                      William A. Keefe

 

Subject:                       Request for an order to allow a second well to be completed in an existing 320-acre drilling and spacing unit in the S½ of Section 12, Township 33 North, Range 10 West, N.M.P.M. for the production of gas and associated hydrocarbons from the Fruitland coal seams.

 

Comments:                  Continued to the April hearing.

                                               

Cause No. 1, Docket No. 0403-GA-02, Ignacio Blanco Field, La Plata County

Applicant:                     Chevron U.S.A., Inc.

Attorney:                      William A. Keefe

 

Protestant:                   Rick Watson

                                               

Protestant:                   Denise A. Bohemier

 

Subject:                       Request for a variance to notice only those mineral owners affected by a forced pooling application instead of all the mineral owners in the University 9-1 Well, located in the SE¼ SW¼ of Section 9, Township 34 North, Range 9 West, N.M.P.M.

 

Comments:                  A Prehearing conference was held on March 2, 2004 and a prehearing conference summary was provided.  Continued to the April hearing.

 

CONSENT AGENDA

March 15, 2004

=============================

No protests/interventions were received on the matters listed below and administrative hearings were held for these matters.  Appropriate testimony accompanied by required exhibits was presented to the Hearing Officers in support of the applications.  The Hearing Officer recommendations were provided and exhibits are available upon request.  The Applicants agreed to be bound by oral Order of the Commission.

 

                        Cause No. 300, Docket No. 0402-AW-01, Beecher Island Field, Yuma County

                        Applicant:                     Petroleum Development Corp.

                        Attorney:                      William A. Keefe

                       

Subject:                       Request for an order to allow up to four (4) wells to be drilled in the existing 160-acre drilling and spacing units located in certain sections of Township 2 South, Ranges 43 and 44 West, 6th P.M. and Township 3 South, Range 43 West, 6th P.M. for the production of gas and associated hydrocarbons from the Niobrara Formation.

 

                        Comments:                  Heard by Hearing Officers who recommend approval.

 

Cause No. 318, Docket No. 0402-AW-02, Republican Field, Yuma County

                        Applicant:                     Petroleum Development Corp.

                        Attorney:                      William A. Keefe

                       

Subject:                       Request for an order to allow up to three (3) wells to be drilled in the existing 160-acre drilling and spacing units located in certain sections of Township 1 North, Range 45 West, 6th P.M. for the production of gas and associated hydrocarbons from the Niobrara Formation.

 

Comments:                 Heard by Hearing Officers who recommend approval.

 

Cause No. 300, Docket No. 0403-AW-04, Beecher Island Field, Yuma County,

Applicant:                     Mountain Petroleum Corporation

Attorney:                      Thomas J. Niebrugge

 

Subject:                       Request for an order to allow up to four (4) wells to be drilled in the existing 160-acre drilling and spacing units located in certain sections of Township 1 South, Range 43 West, 6th P.M., Township 2 South, Ranges 43 and 44 West, 6th P.M. and Township 3 South, Ranges 43 and 44 West, 6th P.M. for production of gas and associated hydrocarbons of the Niobrara Formation.

 

Comments:                 Heard by Hearing Officers who recommend approval.

 

Administrative Order by Consent

 

The following Administrative Orders by Consent were accepted and agreed to:

 

Cause No. 1V, Docket No. 0403-OV-07, Weld County

Staff Recommendation

 

Subject:                       Request for an Administrative Order by Consent finding Petroleum Development Corporation in violation of Rules 303.b., 301. and Section 34-60-117.(1) of the Oil and Gas Conservation Act, failure to have an approved Application for Permit-to-Drill or Application for Permit to Recomplete to the Codell Formation, not providing written notice of intention to do work and to protect correlative rights of all owners in every field or pool for the Bujalski #41-25 Well located in the NE¼ NE¼ of Section 25, Township 4 North, Range 68 West, 6th P.M.

 

Cause No. 1V, Docket No. 0403-OV-08, Weld County

Staff Recommendation

 

Subject:                       Request for an Administrative Order by Consent finding Petroleum Development Corporation in violation of Rules 303.b., 301. and Section 34-60-117.(1) of the Oil and Gas Conservation Act, failure to have an approved Application for Permit-to-Drill or Application for Permit to Recomplete to the Codell Formation, not providing written notice of intention to do work and to protect correlative rights of all owners in every field or pool for the Wyscaver #23-5 Well located in the NE¼ SW¼ of Section 5, Township 4 North, Range 63 West, 6th P.M.

 

Cause No. 1V, Docket No. 0403-OV-09, Weld County

Staff Recommendation

 

Subject:                       Request for an Administrative Order by Consent finding Petroleum Development Corporation in violation of Rules 303.b., 301. and Section 34-60-117.(1) of the Oil and Gas Conservation Act, failure to have an approved Application for Permit-to-Drill or Application for Permit to Recomplete to the Codell Formation, not providing written notice of intention to do work and to protect correlative rights of all owners in every field or pool for the Bryce #21-28 Well located in the NE¼ NW¼ of Section 28, Township 2 North, Range 64 West, 6th P.M.

 

Cause No. 1V, Docket No. 0403-OV-10, Weld County

Staff Recommendation

 

Subject:                       Request for an Administrative Order by Consent finding Petroleum Development Corporation in violation of Rules 303.b., 301. and Section 34-60-117.(1) of the Oil and Gas Conservation Act, failure to have an approved Application for Permit-to-Drill or Application for Permit to Recomplete to the Codell Formation, not providing written notice of intention to do work and to protect correlative rights of all owners in every field or pool for the Gutterson #23-17 Well located in the NE¼ SW¼ of Section 17, Township 3 North, Range 63 West, 6th P.M.

 

Cause No. 1V, Docket No. 0403-OV-11, Weld County

Staff Recommendation

 

Subject:                       Request for an Administrative Order by Consent finding Petroleum Development Corporation in violation of Rules 303.b., 301. and Section 34-60-117.(1) of the Oil and Gas Conservation Act, failure to have an approved Application for Permit-to-Drill or Application for Permit to Recomplete to the Codell Formation, not providing written notice of intention to do work and to protect correlative rights of all owners in every field or pool for the Jeffers #41-35 Well located in the NE¼ NE¼ of Section 35, Township 4 North, Range 68 West, 6th P.M.

 

Cause No. 1V, Docket No. 0403-OV-12, Weld County

Staff Recommendation

 

Subject:                       Request for an Administrative Order by Consent finding Petroleum Development Corporation in violation of Rules 303.b., 301. and Section 34-60-117.(1) of the Oil and Gas Conservation Act, failure to have an approved Application for Permit-to-Drill or Application for Permit to Recomplete to the Codell Formation, not providing written notice of intention to do work and to protect correlative rights of all owners in every field or pool for the Knox #41-3 Well located in the NE¼ NE¼ of Section 3, Township 5 North, Range 67 West, 6th P.M.

 

Cause No. 1V, Docket No. 0403-OV-13, Weld County

Staff Recommendation

 

Subject:                       Request for an Administrative Order by Consent finding Petroleum Development Corporation in violation of Rules 303.b., 301. and Section 34-60-117.(1) of the Oil and Gas Conservation Act, failure to have an approved Application for Permit-to-Drill or Application for Permit to Recomplete to the Codell Formation, not providing written notice of intention to do work and to protect correlative rights of all owners in every field or pool for the NHF #13-9 Well located in the NW¼ SW¼ of Section 9, Township 5 North, Range 63 West, 6th P.M.

 

Cause No. 1V, Docket No. 0403-OV-14, Weld County

Staff Recommendation

 

Subject:                       Request for an Administrative Order by Consent finding Petroleum Development Corporation in violation of Rules 303.b., 301. and Section 34-60-117.(1) of the Oil and Gas Conservation Act, failure to have an approved Application for Permit-to-Drill or Application for Permit to Recomplete to the Codell Formation, not providing written notice of intention to do work and to protect correlative rights of all owners in every field or pool for the NHF #32-21 Well located in the SW¼ NE¼ of Section 21, Township 5 North, Range 63 West, 6th P.M.

 

Cause No. 1V, Docket No. 0403-OV-15, Weld County

Staff Recommendation

 

Subject:                       Request for an Administrative Order by Consent finding Petroleum Development Corporation in violation of Rules 303.b., 301. and Section 34-60-117.(1) of the Oil and Gas Conservation Act, failure to have an approved Application for Permit-to-Drill or Application for Permit to Recomplete to the Codell Formation, not providing written notice of intention to do work and to protect correlative rights of all owners in every field or pool for the Wells Ranch #23-11 Well located in the NE¼ SW¼ of Section 11, Township 5 North, Range 63 West, 6th P.M.

 

Cause No. 1V, Docket No. 0403-OV-16, Weld County

Staff Recommendation

 

Subject:                       Request for an Administrative Order by Consent finding Petroleum Development Corporation in violation of Rules 303.b., 301. and Section 34-60-117.(1) of the Oil and Gas Conservation Act, failure to have an approved Application for Permit-to-Drill or Application for Permit to Recomplete to the Codell Formation, not providing written notice of intention to do work and to protect correlative rights of all owners in every field or pool for the Wells Ranch #32-3 Well located in the SW¼ NE¼ of Section 3, Township 5 North, Range 63 West, 6th P.M.

 

Cause No. 1V, Docket No. 0403-OV-17, La Plata County

Staff Recommendation

 

Subject:                       Request for an Administrative Order by Consent finding Elm Ridge Resources in violation of Rules 906.b.(3) and 906.c., failure to report a spill to the COGCC and to consult with the landowner prior to commencing operations to remediate a spill.

 

Cause No. 1V, Docket No. 0403-OV-18, Las Animas County

Staff Recommendation

 

Subject:                       Request for an Administrative Order by Consent finding Petrogulf Corporation in violation of Rules 305.b.1, 306., and 306.a., failure to provide thirty (3) days notice to surface owner, to consult with the affected surface owner and to provide information to the landowner and local governmental designee for the Hand 8-44V Well located in Section 8, Township 33 South, Range 67 West, 6th P.M.

 

Cause No. 1V, Docket No. 0403-OV-19, Washington County

Staff Recommendation

 

Subject:                       Request for an Administrative Order by Consent finding DeClar Oil & Gas, Inc. in violation of Rules 342A., 907.a., 910.a., 1004.a., and 1004.b., failure to prevent significant adverse environmental impacts to air, water, soil, or biological resources, to prevent the unauthorized discharge or disposal of E&P waste, to ensure that E&P waste is properly stored, handled, transported, treated, recycled or disposed to prevent threatened or actual significant adverse environmental impacts, for exceeding the allowable concentrations for soil in Table 910-1 and for failure to complete final reclamation within three months for cropland at the former Stites #1 tank battery located in the NE¼ SE¼ of Section 17, Township 1 South, Range 56 West, 6th P.M.