The Bureau of Land Management announced the winners of the 2009 Oil, Gas, Geophysical, and Geothermal Development Environmental Best Management Practices (BMP) Awards. The program recognizes oil, gas, geophysical, and geothermal operators and their partners who demonstrate leadership and creativity in reducing the impacts of developing natural gas, oil, and geothermal resources on public lands. Six operators were honored.
• JM Huber Corp. was recognized for Best Overall Use of BMPs for its work in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming. In the basin, vast amounts of coalbed natural gas (CBNG) resources are readily available and are currently being produced; other resource values, such as wildlife, vegetation and highly erodible soils, are also present. JM Huber was recognized for taking steps to ensure its development proposals are environmentally sound.
• EnCana Oil and Gas (USA) Inc. was recognized for Responsible Stewardship of Air Resources for its work in western Wyoming’s Jonah Field. One of the key environmental issues associated with developing the field is air quality-related emissions—specifically, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)—that are released into the atmosphere. Under specific temperate conditions, a chemical reaction between NOx and VOCs occurs in the air resulting in the formation of ozone, an air pollutant regulated under the Clean Air Act. EnCana implemented an extensive and complex set of BMPs to reduce the amount of fugitive NOx and VOCs stemming from its operations.
• Ultra Resources Inc., Shell Exploration and Production Co. and Questar Market Resources were also recognized for Responsible Stewardship of Air Resources for their work in the Pinedale Anticline Field. Like EnCana, these companies partnered to design and implement BMPs specifically designed to reduce the amount of NOx and VOCs stemming from their operations.
• Green River Energy Resources Inc. was recognized for Distinguished Integration of BMPs into Geophysical Exploration for its work on the La Sal 3-D geophysical project near Moab, Utah. One of the key issues associated with this seismic acquisition project was that it was highly visible and controversial to the public, because portions of the operation took place within an area nominated by a citizens’ group to be a proposed wilderness area.
Operators, regulatory authorities, surface management agencies, Indian tribes, individual Indian landowners, other private landowners, trade organizations, and members of the general public may nominate operators for the annual BLM awards. Company officials or staff may also nominate their own operations.
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