This paper is the first
edition of a working document. It is
written from a BLM perspective, and necessarily emphasizes BLM studies and
findings. Every effort was made to recount
problems and issues that the BLM must address in its delegated charge over
public lands and mineral resources. The
design of this document is to depict past, current and future issues where the
San Juan Field Office perceives the need to focus attention. As portrayed by
the subtitle “a Brief History”, this paper is not intended to present an
exhaustive history, presenting little known facts and trivia of gas and oil
production in the northern San Juan Basin of Colorado, but a general overview
serving to orient those unfamiliar with the topic. Likewise the geology and character of the coal bed reservoir is
depicted in general terms. The reader
is encouraged to consult other references for a fuller understanding of
specifics not fully addressed in the text.
As the BLM desires to accurately depict historical and current events
and concerns, we welcome your review of this document. Please direct comments, corrections, or
omissions to the BLM-San Juan Field Office at 15 Burnett Court, Durango,
Colorado, 81301 for consideration of inclusion in the next updated version of
this working document.
We are deeply indebted to many who provided information for
this paper (including those specifically referenced as well as persons we may
have inadvertently missed in our list of references as well as those casually
engaged in conversation. We acknowledge
the Southern Ute Indian Tribe for releasing important charts and information
prepared by the SUIT and industry: particularly Enervest- San Juan Operating,
LLC, Cedar Ridge, LLC, Hallwood Petroleum, Inc., by private engineering and
hydrologic consultants: Dave Cox, George Vandersluis, Paul Oldaker and
others. We acknowledge the compilation
of early San Juan Basin oil and gas exploration and production history,
timelines of hydrocarbon seeps, and Moving Mountain episodes provided by Paul
Oldaker including copies of periodical articles referenced. Non-specific dates and generally established
data, including drilling dates and drilling eras are generally described with
no specific sources documented.
The time-consuming preliminary draft reviews by Barbara
Wickman and Dick Baughman of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe; Debbie Baldwin and
Morris Bell of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission; Don
Englishman, John Pecor, Kent Hoffman and Ilyse Auringer and other staff of the
San Juan Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management greatly assisted in our
final editing of the text.