November 19, 2009 09:45 AM UTC

Rethinking the Roan

•  
• by: Duke Cox

( – promoted by Colorado Pols)

In an editorial published last week,

http://www.gjsentinel.com/opin…

the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel exhibited a rare lucid moment by suggesting the BLM cancel the gas drilling leases issued last year for drilling on the Roan Plateau and refunding the money paid initially by Vantage Energy ( an operative of the Carlyle group, owned in part by the Bush and Bin Laden families ).

When those leases were issued, the BLM justified doing so by claiming that only 200 or so wells would be allowed and that there would be severe restrictions on surface activity. Of course, things have a tendency to change without notice when the O&G boys are involved. After the sale was a done deal, Vantage sold the leases to Bill Barrett Corporation, who prompty announced their intention to drill as many as 3,000 wells, instead of 200.

Even the traditionally conservative Daily Sentinel could see the “bait and switch” hidden in this deal, saying

While advanced technology would allow the company to drill multiple wells from the same well pad, that’s still a massive increase in wells and well pads over what the BLM contemplated when it released its environmental study two years ago.

The Daily Sentinel editorial continues, explaining why protecting the Roan is important

The BLM recognized the unique biology of the Roan Plateau, which has been called one of the four richest areas in Colorado for rare plants and wildlife. Those rare life forms include one of the most genetically pure strains of Colorado River cutthroat trout that exists and the Parachute penstemon, a flowering plant.

In addition, the Roan is home to a spectacular waterfall and important deer and elk herds.

In fact, in a 2002 publication, the BLM referred to the habitat that supports the rare trout populations as “unique and irreplaceable”.

A coalition of environmental and sportsmen’s groups are engaged in litigation to prevent the drilling from going forward and, according to the Sentinel

Barrett’s revelation of the number of wells it might drill has provided powerful new ammunition for the conservationists’ argument that the BLM didn’t adequately evaluate the potential environmental impacts.

The Sentinel sides with the locals on this one and recommends

We hope the court will direct the Department of Interior to cancel the Roan leases, refund the lease money and consider technological changes that would allow the industry to extract the bulk of the natural gas. Environmentalist contend that, using 2007 technology, the vast majority of the gas resources underlying the Roan can be extracted without disturbing the top.

One of the last undisturbed areas in a sea of drilling north of the Colorado River shouldn’t be turned into an industrialized zone. Two hundred wells might not do that, but 3,000 wells would.

Naturally, the O&G spinmeisters immediately respond with more crapola to try to misdirect the public. One such readers’ response to the Sentinels’ editorial says

Those 3000 wells will be drilled from single surface pads which will have 20+/- wells per pad. This will result in approximately 150 surface locations which is below the 200 number the article implied would not be a major problem.

Well…not exactly. Note that the comment says 20+/- wells per pad. The problem with this seemingly reasonable contention is that few pads in the Piceance have 20 wells on them. It can be done, but the average number of wells on a pad around here is closer to 6 or 8. Being generous, an average of 8 wells per pad would mean 375 oversized pads.

Anyone who knows the Roan can tell you that there are very few places where a giant, 20 well pad will fit. Even 10 or 20 well pads on the public part of the plateau would completely change the character of this wild place. It is almost assured that, left to their own devices, the natural gas companies will turn the magnificent Roan Plateau into an industrial park.

Most folks in western Colorado don’t think the Roan should have been leased in the first place (public opposition is well documented), and given the new revelations by Bill Barrett Corp., the deal should be scrapped and the Roan should be left as it is…unique and irreplaceable.