Two Large Directional Drilling Sites Proposed in Greeley

- Two Large Directional Drilling Sites Proposed in Greeley

Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Greely Tribune, Colorado
by Sharon Dunn, Greeley Tribune, Colo.

Two new oil and gas well projects that would involve dozens of new wells are being proposed within Greeley's city limits now that directional drilling methods have basically been proven and commodity prices are cooperating.

These drilling projects come in a much larger scale than typical vertical drilling, with several wells proposed from one site.

"This is the changing face of the oil and gas industry, with more directional drilling," said Brandon Gossard, a planner with the city of Greeley. "We seem to be getting more applications for directional than otherwise.

"Only recently has that technology been reliable and cost effective to the point where a lot of bigger players have started to use the directional drilling platforms more and more often," Gossard said.

Greeley residents may remember letters from Mineral Resources they got earlier in the year, seeking permission to drill beneath their properties. Some of those letters relate to two projects under consideration this week:

• The Bestway Gravel Pit site off of 4th Street and 35th Avenue, where the company has proposed drilling 40 wells. Residents will get to sound off on the project at a neighborhood meeting Wednesday.
• The Island Grove site off of 11th Avenue across from Island Grove Regional Park, where the company has proposed drilling 22 wells. The Greeley Planning Commission is considering this project Tuesday. Neither project would need Greeley City Council approval, but ultimate planning commission decisions could be appealed to the council within 10 days of a decision.

Copyright (c) 2011, Greeley Tribune, Colo.

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