IN THE MATTER OF THE PROMULGATION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF FIELD RULES TO GOVERN OPERATIONS IN THE VERNON FIELD, YUMA COUNTY, COLORADO Cause No. 315 Order No. 315-1

REPORT OF THE COMMISSION

This cause came on for hearing before the Commission on January 17, 1977 at 9 A.M., in Room 110, State Centennial Building, Denver, Colorado, after giving Notice of hearing as required by law, on the application of Kansas-Nebraska Natural Gas co., for an order establishing 640-acre drilling and spacing units for the production of gas from the Niobrara formation underlying certain lands in Yuma County, Colorado.

FINDINGS

The Commission finds as follows:

1. That due notice of the time, place and purpose of the hearing has been given in all respects as required by law.

2. That the Commission has jurisdiction over the subject matter embracec in said Notice, and of the parties interested therein, and jurisdiction to promulgate the hereinafter prescribed order.

3. That evidence presented at the hearing indicates that the Niobrara for-mation constitutes a common source of supply of gas underlying the following described lands in Yuma County, Colorado, to-wit:

Township 1 South, Range 44 West, 6th P.M. Sections 19 thru 2 l: All Sections 28 thru 33: All

Township 2 South, Range 44 West, 6th P.M. Sections 5 and 6: All

4. That in order to prevent the waste of gas, as defined by law; to protect the correlative rights of all parties concerned; to prevent the drilling of unnecessary wells and to insure proper and efficient development and promote conservation of the gas re-sources of the State, an order should be made establishing 640-acre drilling and spacing units for the production of gas from the Niobrara formation, common source of supply underlying the lands defined herein; that said units should be 640-acre drilling units, and consist of a section of land according to the governmental survey thereof, and that the . permitted well for each such drilling unit should be located no closer than 990 feet from the boundaries of the unit; however, the Well No. 1-29 Allison, located 660 feet from the east line and 660 feet from the south line of Section 29, Township 1 South, Range 44 West 6th P.M., should be considered an exception and be the permitted well for the unit upon which it is located.

5. That all available geological and engineering data concerning said Nio-brara formation indicate that one well will efficiently and economically drain an area of approximately 640-acres, and that drilling units of the size and shape hereinabove described are not smaller than the maximum area that can be efficiently drained by one well producing from said Niobrara formation.

ORDER

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED, that the following rules and regula-tions shall apply hereafter to wells drilled, completed, or recompleted in the Niobrara formation underlying the Vernon Field herein described, in addition to other applicable rules and regulations and orders of the Commission, if any, heretofore adopted and not in conflict herewith:

(over)

Rule 1. Six Hundred Forty (640) acre drilling and spacing units shall be and the same are hereby established for the production of gas from the Niobrara format underlying the following described lands in the Vernon Field, Yuma County, Colorado, to -wit:

Township 1 South, Range 44 West, 6th P.M. Sections 19 thru 21: All Sections 28 thru 33: All Township 2 South, Range 44 West, 6th P.M. Sections 5 and 6: All Rule 2. Said drilling units shall consist of six hundred forty (640) acres, and each such drilling unit shall consist of a section of land, according to the govern-mental survey thereof, and the permitted well for each such drilling unit shall be located no closer than 990 feet from the boundaries of the unit; however, the Well No. 1-29, located 660 feet from the east line and 660 feet from the south line of Section 29, Town-ship 1 South, Range 44 West, 6th P.M., shall be considered an exception and be the permitted well for the unit upon which it is located.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, that the rules and regulations contained herei shall become effective forthwith.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, that the Commission expressly reserves its right, after notice and hearing, to alter, amend or repeal any and/or all of the above orders, rules and regulations.

ORDERED this 17th day of January, 1977.

THE OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

By Frank J. Piro, Secretary