Your local resource for contacts, wildlife considerations, agencies, programs and more that can be of assistance while you plan for the reclamation of a Coal Bed Methane field on your property!
As production of Coal Bed Natural Gas slows in the Powder River Basin many landowners and production companies face the daunting task of reclaiming production fields. This site is designed to be a reference guide providing tools and information. Reclamation decisions made now can have long term effects on ranch productivity and wildlife habitat. Energy production no doubt created infrastructure that can be beneficial to ranchers, but can also be costly to maintain. Infrastructure can also be a major threat to wildlife habitat, Greater Sage-Grouse in particular. There are pros and cons to all of the options available to landowners. The key is taking the time to think through these potentially negative outcomes before you are left with a greater financial or environmental burden than you were prepared for. Very often when an energy company is ready to shut down a production field they are ready to start on it immediately, leaving a very small window for the landowner to make decisions.
Even if the coal bed methane production wells on your property are still pumping it may be worth taking some time to come up with a plan for what you would like reclamation to look like. Do you want every well, road and power line gone? Are there 1 or 2 wells optimally located that are worth spending the money to convert to water wells? Where are the wells or reservoirs that make the most sense in your grazing plan? Do you have a place over a ridge line from any water source that livestock rarely use where a new water well or stock water tank would be of benefit? Chances are you can use existing infrastructure to make that possible. There are a number of people who have looked at several reclamation projects and may be able to give you some ideas on the most cost effective and long term sustainable ways to design your project. Please don't hesitate to contact any of the folks listed on the contacts page.
Even if the coal bed methane production wells on your property are still pumping it may be worth taking some time to come up with a plan for what you would like reclamation to look like. Do you want every well, road and power line gone? Are there 1 or 2 wells optimally located that are worth spending the money to convert to water wells? Where are the wells or reservoirs that make the most sense in your grazing plan? Do you have a place over a ridge line from any water source that livestock rarely use where a new water well or stock water tank would be of benefit? Chances are you can use existing infrastructure to make that possible. There are a number of people who have looked at several reclamation projects and may be able to give you some ideas on the most cost effective and long term sustainable ways to design your project. Please don't hesitate to contact any of the folks listed on the contacts page.
