BEFORE THE OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION

OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

 

IN THE MATTER THE PROMULGATION AND                                     )                    CAUSE NO. 334

ESTABLISHMENT OF FIELD RULES TO GOVERN                           )

OPERATIONS IN THE GREAT DIVIDE FIELD,                                    )                    DOCKET NO. 0303-AW-01

MOFFAT COUNTY, COLORADO                                                        )

 

 

                                                                        NOTICE OF HEARING

 

TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES AND TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

 

           On May 15, 1978, the Commission issued Order No. 334-1 establishing 320-acre drilling and spacing units for the production of gas and associated hydrocarbons from the Middle Lewis Formation for the below-listed lands, with the permitted well to be located in the NE¼ and the SW¼ of each section, no closer than 600 feet from the boundaries of the quarter section upon which it is located and no closer than 1320 feet from another producing or producible gas well from the same formation:

 

Township 9 North, Range 93 West, 6^th P.M.

Sections 2 through 11: All

Sections 14 through 23: All

 

Township 10 North, Range 93 West, 6^th P.M.

Sections 32 through 35: All

 

                        On May 8, 1981, the Commission issued Order No. 334-2 allowing a well to be drilled in the NW¼ of Section 32, Township 10 North, Range 93 West, 6^th P.M., as the permitted well for the 320-acre drilling and spacing unit consisting of the W½ of Section 32.

 

            On December 30, 1993, the Pilgram Unit was approved as a federal unit by the Bureau of Land Management and included Sections 32 and 33, Township 10 North, Range 93 West, 6^th P.M. within the boundaries of the unit.  These lands are tracts which are not committed tracts to the Pilgram Unit.

 

                        On January 31, 2003, Tom Brown, Inc., by its attorney, filed with the Commission a verified application for an order to allow up to three (3) additional wells, for a total of four (4) wells, to be drilled on the 320-acre drilling and spacing units for the below-listed lands, for production of gas and associated hydrocarbons from the Middle Lewis Formation, with the permitted well for all subsequent wells to be located 600 feet from the boundaries of the unit and no closer than 990 feet to another well producing or producible from the same formation.  In addition, the Applicant requests that the Director be authorized, without additional notice and hearing or consent, to grant an exception to the well location setbacks up to and including 100 feet, but not beyond, to avoid archeological sites and for topographic reasons.

 

Township 10 North, Range 93 West, 6^th P.M.

Section 32: All

Section 33: N½

 

                        If the Commission determines that the Application should not be granted, the Applicant requests, in the alternative, that the Commission issue an order providing (i) that, at the option of the operator, up to four (4) wells may be drilled to and completed in the 320-acre drilling and spacing unit consisting of the E½ of Section 32, Township 10 North, Range 93 West, 6^th P.M., for production from the Middle Lewis Formation as a pilot project to gather additional geological and engineering information about the Middle Lewis Formation, (ii) that, at the option of the operator in the remainder of the Application Lands described above, two (2) wells may be drilled to and completed in each 320-acre drilling and spacing unit in the Application Lands, (iii) that the permitted location for any well drilled to the Middle Lewis Formation subsequent to the entry of such order in a 320-acre drilling and spacing unit in the Application Lands be located no closer than 600 feet to the outer boundary of such 320-acre drilling spacing unit and no closer than 990 feet to another well producing or producible from the same formation, (iv) that the Director be authorized, without setbacks up to and including 100 feet, but not beyond, to avoid archeological sites and for topographic reasons.

 

                        NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission of the State of Colorado, pursuant to the above, has scheduled the above-entitled matter for hearing on:

 

                        Date:                                       Monday, March 17, 2003

 

                        Time:                                       10:00 a.m.

 

                        Place:                                      Birch Banquet Room, Ramada Inn & Suites

                                                                        124 W. 6^th Street

                                                                        Glenwood Springs, CO 81601

 

                        In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if any party requires special accommodations as a result of a disability for this hearing, please contact Audra Serlet at (303) 894-2100 ext. 114, prior to the hearing and arrangements will be made.

 

                        Pursuant to said hearing in the above-entitled matter at the time and place aforesaid, or at any adjourned meeting, the Commission will enter such orders as it deems appropriate to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public and to prevent the waste of oil and gas, either or both, in the operations of said field, and to carry out the purposes of the statute.

 

                        In accordance with Rule 509., any interested party desiring to protest the granting of the application or to intervene on the application should file with the Commission a written protest or intervention no later than March 3, 2003, briefly stating the basis of the protest or intervention.  Such interested party shall, at the same time, serve a copy of the protest or intervention to the person filing the application.  An original and nine (9) copies shall be filed with the Commission (Rule 503.f.).  Pursuant to Rule 503.e., if a party who has received notice under Rule 503.b. wishes to receive further pleadings in the above-referenced matter, that party must file a protest or intervention in accordance with these rules.  In accordance with the practices of the Commission, should no protests or interventions be filed in this matter by March 3, 2003, the Applicant may request that an administrative hearing be scheduled for the week of March 3, 2003.

 

                       

                        IN THE NAME OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

 

                                                                        OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION

                                                                            OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

 

 

                                                                        By_____________________________________

                                                                               Patricia C. Beaver, Secretary

 

Dated at Suite 801                                          Attorney for Applicant:

1120 Lincoln Street                                         Carleton L. Ekberg, Esq.                   

Denver, Colorado 80203                                 Poulson, Odell & Peterson, LLC

February 14, 2003                                           1775 Sherman Street, Suite 1400

                                                                        Denver, CO 80203       

                                                                        (303) 861-4400