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Bush admin clears way for more coalbed methane projects
Reuters ^ | 01.10.03 | Christopher Doering

Posted on 01/13/2003 7:45:49 AM PST by BOBTHENAILER

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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
Will this hurt Yellowstone?

No way, totally different side of the State.

SE NM Ordovician production RULES

What does that mean?

Southeast New Mexico is a very prolific producing area. Ordovician production refers to a geologic formation which, in wells I'm involved in, are high volume natural gas and gas condensate producers.

Typically 4-10 BCF in reserves with flow rates of 2-7 miliion cubic feet of gas per day. Expensive to drill, but worth it.

21 posted on 01/13/2003 11:54:50 AM PST by BOBTHENAILER (SE NM Ordovician production RULES)
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To: BOBTHENAILER; Dog Gone; Nick Danger
"The region has been the target of a series of lawsuits in recent months by environmental groups who argue that nearly 5,000 leases lack the proper environmental studies to proceed."

Environmentalists need to be sued for imposing frivalous reporting and study requirements on industry, as well as RICO'd for filing so many thousands of frivalous lawsuits.

22 posted on 01/13/2003 12:02:24 PM PST by Southack (Media bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
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To: Southack
Environmentalists need to be sued for imposing frivalous reporting and study requirements on industry, as well as RICO'd for filing so many thousands of frivalous lawsuits.

Couldn't agree more, but it's my understanding that they were immunized from lawsuits by a (what else) Clinton Executive Order, executed in the waning days of his ongoing criminal enterprise, sometimes known as an administration.

23 posted on 01/13/2003 12:08:02 PM PST by BOBTHENAILER (SE NM Ordovician production RULES)
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To: BOBTHENAILER
Expensive to drill, but worth it.

Expense from the depth or what?

Are these of the 20,000+ depth?

24 posted on 01/13/2003 12:10:00 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach (Governor Gray Davis should be recalled!)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
Expense from the depth or what?

$600K-$1,000K for 6,000' to 7,200'.

Are these of the 20,000+ depth?

See above but compared to this class, the ones I describe are babies, in depth and expense. Great production however. I guess expensive is relative to me and my wallet.

25 posted on 01/13/2003 12:16:22 PM PST by BOBTHENAILER (SE NM Ordovician production RULES)
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To: BOBTHENAILER
Thanks for the link, Need to have some Freeper in the area watching the local papers and capturing what the propagandists are putting out!

--------------------------------------------------

Feds could regulate CBM water

By TED MONOSON Star-Tribune Washington bureau

WASHINGTON -- Wyoming and Montana's Republican legislators are leery of a proposal to apply the federal Clean Water Act to water that is brought to the surface as part of the coalbed methane gas production process.

They say that the water quality laws in their states are adequate and that federal legislation could hamper efforts to increase domestic energy production.

"I think it is an issue, no question about that," Sen. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., said. "There needs to be some more effort made, but I think we can leave that to the Wyoming (Department of Environmental Quality.)"

A proposal offered by Rep. Mark Udall, D-Colo., the Federal Water Pollution Act, which is commonly called the Clean Water Act, would apply to all "water derived in association with oil and gas production."

Wyoming has the nation's largest coalbed methane gas reserves. Colorado, Montana and New Mexico also have significant reserves. The Bush administration has called for increased coalbed methane gas production to guarantee that domestic producers can meet the nation's natural gas demands.

Coalbed methane gas is trapped in porous coal seams. To collect the gas, groundwater is pumped to the surface to draw the gas to the well head. The water is released on the surface, kept in holding ponds or allowed to flow into streams and rivers. Some of the water that is pumped up has high levels of salts and minerals.

Udall has not formally introduced legislation, but has released copies of a draft proposal to spark discussion. He hopes that the bill he introduces will have the support of environmentalists, ranchers and energy companies.

"It's a simple concept," Udall said. "It would just clarify the existing law. I think it could help the coalbed methane producers, because it potentially cuts down on litigation. It clarifies where we stand."

Udall's effort was prompted in part by an Aug. 23, 2002, decision issued by the U.S. District Court in Billings. In Northern Plains Resource Council v. Fidelity Exploration & Production Co., Inc., the court ruled that the Clean Water Act does not apply to water that is extracted as part of the coalbed methane gas production process.

"The decision is evidently under appeal, but I am concerned that it might be upheld -- a result that would be unfortunate and contrary to the public interest," Udall wrote in a letter the Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine Todd Whitman. "I think Congress should act to make clear that the Clean Water Act applies to the water extracted in connection with the production of oil or gas -- including coalbed methane."

Tom Darin, who is a staff attorney with the Lander-based Wyoming Outdoor Council, said even though there is a good chance that the Montana federal court's decision will be reversed, Congress should act on Udall's proposal.

"It is a good idea for the bill to have the federal law end the debate," Darin said. "There is a need for consensus at the federal level."

Wyoming lawmakers say that the majority of the water that coalbed methane producers in the state pump out is clean.

"Most of the coalbed methane water coming out is clean enough to drink," Rep. Barbara Cubin, R-Wyo., said. "It sounds like unnecessary legislation. It is another hurdle that will make it more difficult to develop domestic sources of energy."

Thomas shared Cubin's concern that Udall's proposal would reduce coalbed methane production.

"We need to encourage coalbed methane production for the sake of Wyoming and the country," Thomas said.

Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., was more concerned that the proposal would actually have a negative impact on Montana's streams and rivers.

"Montana's clean water laws are better, more stringent than the federal government's so this might actually affect us negatively," Rehberg said.

Although he had not seen Udall's proposal, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., said that, like the Coloradoan, he supports coalbed methane gas production, but believes that it should be done responsibly.

"It is good for the economy, but it has to be done right and it has to be done right the first time," Baucus said.

Udall, who is former executive director of the Colorado Outward Bound School, said that he would work with lawmakers from Wyoming and Montana. Udall, Cubin and Rehberg are all members of the House Resources Committee, which has jurisdiction over the issue.

"There may be some common ground that we can find," Udall said. "It also may blow up."

26 posted on 01/13/2003 12:17:17 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach (Governor Gray Davis should be recalled!)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
Thanks for the link, Need to have some Freeper in the area watching the local papers and capturing what the propagandists are putting out!

I got the link from friends of mine in the business in Gillette, Jim Bowman and Jim DeArman.

If FReepers don't keep up with this, rest assured that industry will.

27 posted on 01/13/2003 1:05:18 PM PST by BOBTHENAILER (SE NM Ordovician production RULES)
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To: BOBTHENAILER
Permian!
28 posted on 01/13/2003 1:21:34 PM PST by CedarDave (The SE NM oil patch: where natural resource use is not considered rape of the earth!)
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To: CedarDave
Hope you're having good success out there. Fun area.
29 posted on 01/13/2003 1:30:40 PM PST by BOBTHENAILER (SE NM Ordovician production RULES)
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To: BOBTHENAILER
Bumping and bookmarking!
30 posted on 01/13/2003 3:52:44 PM PST by TruthNtegrity
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To: BOBTHENAILER
There are lots of different ways to get coalbed methane some involve no water just drilling a hole in the ground. I think that if there are environmental concerns for specific areas they will be taken into account when the various coalbed methane recovery methods are examined.
31 posted on 01/13/2003 4:29:46 PM PST by Robert357
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To: Robert357
Agreed. Maybe when 14,000 wells turn into 20,000 the sheeple will see the fallacy of the green lies.
32 posted on 01/13/2003 5:40:52 PM PST by BOBTHENAILER (Byrd is a certifiable racist)
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To: BOBTHENAILER
The Bush administration on Friday gave the green light to more coalbed methane drilling in Wyoming's Powder River Basin, saying its studies showed that the process of squeezing natural gas out of coal deposits would not harm the environment.

Good. The environ weenies bitch about oil, yet we work with an alternative energy sorce, and they bitch about that.
The best thing to do is just say "no " to these ignorant weenies.
It's about time we bought them a way way ticket off the planet. Let them bitch about moon dust or something. That should keep them busy for a while.

33 posted on 01/13/2003 7:49:05 PM PST by concerned about politics (Achievement is politically incorrect.)
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To: BOBTHENAILER
green groups criticized

This, that, and whatever else they can come up with. Even cows because they fart! No joke! (It's methane).
They need to GET A REAL JOB!!

34 posted on 01/13/2003 8:24:16 PM PST by concerned about politics (Achievement is politically incorrect.)
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To: concerned about politics
The environ weenies bitch about oil, yet we work with an alternative energy sorce, and they bitch about that.

You nailed it. Remember the ANWR debate? RAT politicians and GREEN groups, one after the other, would whine and say:

"We're not opposed to ALL drilling, just not in this 'pristine" environment in northern Alaska."

Blatant BS. They are opposed to ALL drilling, as this article plainly points out.

When we are exposed to extremely high heating, cooling and industrial power costs due to enviro/nazi policies, then they can exert more CONTROL over our lives.

35 posted on 01/14/2003 4:01:48 AM PST by BOBTHENAILER (Oppose all Environmental Groups)
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To: BOBTHENAILER
Environmentalists accuse average Americans of terrorism while perpetrating terrorism on the economy in the name of protecting the environment. Think about what the save the trees types are really all about the next time you heat your home or drive your SUV around.
36 posted on 01/14/2003 4:15:15 AM PST by goldstategop
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