Service Seeks Comments on Ultra Resources’ Proposed Oil and Gas Wells on Ouray National Wildlife Refuge in Uintah County, Utah
For Immediate Release
March 10, 2014
LAKEWOOD, Colo. – The Ouray National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is seeking comments from the public on a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and Biological Assessment (BA) for Ultra Resources, Inc’s (URI) proposed Ouray NWR 9-Well Development Program in Uintah County, Utah.
A thirty-day public scoping period for the EA opened March 10, 2014. Comments will be accepted through April 8, 2014.
URI is proposing to drill, complete and operate nine (9) oil and gas wells from five (5) proposed well pad locations within the Ouray NWR in Uintah County, Utah. The proposed development would require the construction and maintenance of associated access roads, gathering pipelines, and overhead power lines. URI will utilize three of the five proposed well pads to directionally drill multiple wells, thus reducing surface disturbance and minimizing impacts to the surrounding environment. Specifically, URI’s Proposed Action includes the following primary components:
- Development of nine (9) oil and gas wells from five (5) proposed wells pads, each averaging approximately 2.4 acres in size;
- Construction of approximately 0.6 miles (3,127 feet) of new access road;
- Installation of up to approximately 1.6 miles (8,268 feet) of co-located buried pipeline and approximately 0.3 miles (1,477 feet) of cross-country buried pipeline;
- Installation of approximately 0.5 miles (2,593 feet) of co-located overhead power line; and
- Installation of up to two (2) heater-treaters (combination of a heater, free-water knockout, and oil and gas separator), two (2) produced water tanks, four (4) condensate/oil storage tanks; one (1) combustor, and one (1) gas sales meter for each well pad.
URI was assigned mineral rights underlying Ouray NWR lands from Stonegate Resources, LLC in May 2011. URI recognizes the importance of the National Wildlife Refuge System and has committed to minimizing impacts to natural resources under the Proposed Action. The Service will work with URI to minimize impacts to the Ouray NWR. The Service Refuge Planning Division has prepared this EA and BA in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other relevant Federal and State laws and regulations to analyze proposed oil and natural gas development by URI within the Ouray NWR boundary. The Service is obligated to provide maximum protection of the Ouray NWR, while providing mineral owners reasonable access and exploration rights to their mineral estates; thus, the Service will evaluate the Proposed Action and alternatives to assess the extent to which the actions may degrade NWR resources.