Land Management
Responsible land management is achieved through maximum effort and minimal impact.
We devote substantial time and resources to minimizing the impact of our operations on the land. By using cutting-edge technology, such as three-dimensional seismic mapping and horizontal drilling, we are able to drill for oil and natural gas with an accurate depiction of the targeted geological formations below. This allows exploration teams to identify oil and natural gas prospects and space wells more efficiently and effectively. This increased efficiency also reduces the number of dry holes drilled, drilling costs, and exploration time. In addition to the strategic use of seismic data, we carefully evaluate geographical and topographical aspects of each site to determine the best place to locate a well.
Let us tell you more about our initiatives to protect and restore the land we use:
Minimizing Surface Impacts
The use of horizontal drilling and multi-well pads significantly reduces our overall surface footprint. By designing the majority of our pads to accommodate up to a dozen (or more) wells, we are able to centralize operations as well as reduce the number of pads required for optimal land use. In addition, technological advancements have enabled us to substantially increase lateral lengths, further minimizing the number of pads constructed. This is further leveraged with the increased usage of infill drilling to return to existing well pads to drill additional wells and/or target different zones within our three operating regions, minimizing the need for construction of new well pads. Another benefit to multi-well pad sites is the reduction in road traffic due to less frequent mobilization of drilling rigs and fewer individual sites requiring maintenance.
In addition to reducing our surface footprint, we also take many additional steps to minimize erosion and sedimentation issues, utilizing industry best management practices (BMPs) prepared under the direction of Professional Engineers and tailored to each site. Some of the measures we implement include:
- Utilizing current state of the art BMP Erosion controls to prevent storm water pollution
- Measures to minimize and control storm water flowing onto and through the project
- Sediment controls to work in conjunction with and provide a second line of defense to properly designed and installed erosion controls
- Temporary seeding to aid in controlling erosion
- Proper design, alignment and building of well pads and lease roads to avoid environmentally sensitive areas
- Performing regular inspections to ensure that the controls are functioning as designed
Site Reclamation
As soon as is practical following drilling and completions activities, we work to return the area to its original condition, contour and drainage, utilizing only the minimum footprint necessary for ongoing production operations. During this interim reclamation process, when transitioning from drilling operations to production operations, we use the original stockpiled topsoil, we fertilize, and we plant the graded areas with noninvasive seeding, as recommended by the various federal and state agencies with reclamation oversight.
Once all wells on a well pad cease production and they are properly plugged and abandoned, final reclamation will be performed, meeting the same standards as detailed for the interim reclamation process.