Montana/Dakotas News Release
Date: July 7, 2008 Bowdoin Natural Gas Project EA Available for ReviewThe Bureau of Land Management’s analysis of a proposal to drill additional gas wells in the Bowdoin natural gas field is available for review. The environmental assessment is online at www.blm.gov/mt/st/en/fo/malta_field_office/bowdoin_ea.html. The environmental document analyzes potential effects of an industry proposal to drill new and replacement wells in the Bowdoin field, one of the oldest and largest gas fields in Montana. Generally, the Bowdoin field straddles the Phillips-Valley county line from the Canadian border south to U.S. Highway 2. The field has been active since the 1930s and currently contains about 1,450 producing wells. Under the proposal analyzed, new and replacement wells would be drilled at an annual rate that would essentially keep pace with the retirement of older wells that are no longer productive. The number of active wells would rise slightly to about 1,500 over the next 10 to 15 years before beginning a gradual decline. A total of 635 wells are proposed for federal minerals and 620 are proposed for state and private minerals. The wells would keep the field productive for another 30 to 50 years. “Four companies are proposing this project that would help maximize recovery of the gas resource in this field,” said Donato Judice, BLM’s Great Falls supervisor. “Production from some wells that were drilled in the 1940s would be restored by drilling new replacement wells from the original drilling pads. In other instances, areas within the field that were previously passed over would be tapped to increase productivity.” Comments on the alternatives presented and on the adequacy of the impact analysis will be accepted by the BLM until August 8. Written comments should be sent to Donato Judice, BLM Field Station Supervisor, 1101 15th St. N., Great Falls, Mont. 59401, or via e-mail to: MT_Bowdoin_EA@blm.gov. Please refer to the Bowdoin Natural Gas Project Environmental Assessment at the beginning of your comments. Alternative formats of the document can also be requested from the BLM’s Great Falls office by writing or calling (406) 791-7700. The proposal is generally located on public, fee, and state lands within Townships 30 through 37 North, Ranges 29 through 36 East, in Phillips and Valley counties. For more information on this proposal, contact BLM’s Great Falls Field Station at the address above. ###
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