BEFORE THE OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION
OF THE STATE OF COLORADO
IN THE MATTER OF THE PROMULGATION ) CAUSE NO. 471
AND ESTABLISHMENT OF FIELD RULES TO )
GOVERN OPERATIONS IN THE JACE FIELD, ) ORDER NO. 471-7
KIOWA COUNTY, COLORADO )
REPORT OF THE COMMISSION
This cause came on for hearing before the Commission at 9:00 a.m. on July 10, 2006, in Suite 801, The Chancery Building, 1120 Lincoln Street, Denver, Colorado, for an order
authorizing unit operation and development of the Morrow Sandstone Formation, for certain lands in Township 18 South, Ranges 41 and 42 West, 6th P.M.FINDINGS
The Commission finds as follows:
1. Citation Oil & Gas Corporation ("Citation"), as applicant herein, is an interested party in the subject matter of the above-referenced hearing.
2. Due notice of the time, place and purpose of the hearing has been given in all respects as required by law.
3. The Commission has jurisdiction over the subject matter embraced in said Notice, and of the parties interested therein, and jurisdiction to promulgate the hereinafter prescribed order pursuant to the Oil and Gas Conservation Act.
4. On August 24, 1998, the Commission issued Order No. 471-1, which among other things, established 80-acre drilling and spacing units, for certain lands, including Section 6, Township 18 South, Range 41 West, 6th P.M., and Sections 1 and 2, Township 18 South, Range 42 West, 6th P.M. for the production of oil and associated hydrocarbons from the Morrow Sandstone Formation.
5. On July 19, 1993, amended on September 5, 1993, the Commission entered Order No. 471-4, which among other things, established the Morrow V-7 Sandstone Formation as a common source of supply of oil, gas and associated hydrocarbons in Sections 1 and 2, Township 18 South, Range 42 West, 6th P.M., and established 80-acre drilling and spacing units for the Morrow V-7 Formation, with the permitted well to be located no closer than 600 feet from the boundaries of the unit and no closer than 1200 feet from another well producing in the same formation.
6. On May 22, 2006, Citation, by its attorney, filed with the Commission a verified application for an order authorizing unit operation and development of the Morrow Sandstone Formation, for the lands described below. The formation to be unitized (the "Unitized Formation") is the Morrow Sand V-5, being the stratigraphic equivalent of the interval found between 5,095 feet and 5,119 feet, and the Morrow Sand V-7 section described as the stratigraphic equivalent of the interval found between 5,148 feet to 5,169 feet, in the Dual Induction Log run on May 17, 1991 for the Schneider 34-1 #3 Well located in the SW¼ SE¼ of Section 1, Township 18 South, Range 42 West, 6th P.M. The Unit Area encompasses the boundaries of the Unitized Formation as determined by drilling operations to be productive of oil.
Township 18 South, Range 41 West, 6th P.M.
Section 6: W½ SW¼
Township 18 South, Range 42 West, 6th P.M.
Section 1: Lots 1, 2, S½ NE¼, S½
Section 2: E½ SE¼
The proposed plan of unit operations for which Commission authorization is requested is established by the Jace Morrow Sand Unit Agreement and the Jace Morrow Sand Unit Operating Agreement.
7. The verified application states that the proposed plan for unit operations for the Morrow Sand Formation within the Unit Area is necessary for the effective, efficient and economical development of the Unit Area within the Jace Field and will result in the protection of correlative rights and the prevention of waste.
8. Testimony and exhibits presented at the administrative hearing showed all working interest, mineral interest and surface interest owners located within one-quarter (¼) mile from the proposed Leathers B-3 Injection Well.
9. Testimony and exhibits presented at the administrative hearing showed all working interest, mineral interest and surface interest owners located within one-quarter (¼) mile from the proposed Schneider 34-1 #3 Injection Well.
10. Testimony and exhibits presented at the administrative hearing showed all working interest, mineral interest and surface interest owners located within the boundaries of the proposed Jace Morrow Sand Unit and within one-half (½) mile from the tracts to be unitized. Additional testimony showed that the Unit Agreement and Operating Agreement have signatures of over 80% of the cost-bearing owners and that approximately 45% of the non-cost bearing owners have signed, with the anticipation that over 80% of the non-cost bearing owners will have signed before or close to the July 10, 2006 hearing date. An affidavit filed with the Commission on July 7, 2006 indicated that at least 80% of the non-cost bearing interest owners have signed the Unit Agreement.
11. Testimony and exhibits presented at the administrative hearing showed the geology of the Morrow V-5 and V-7 Sands and surrounding formations within the application area, resistivity logs from the two (2) proposed injection wells, showing the Morrow V-5 and V-7 Sands, and the proposed operations for the application area.
12. Testimony and exhibits presented at the administrative hearing showed that underground sources of drinking water within the application area are found only in the Ogallala Formation which is encountered at depths of 250 feet to over 400 feet. Additional testimony showed that surface casing has been set over the Ogallala Formation and cemented to ground level for protection of this interval.
13. Testimony and exhibits presented at the administrative hearing showed a wellbore diagram, to show the completion of the Schneider 34-1 #3 Well. The applicant proposes that the Schneider 34-1 #3 Well be converted to a nitrogen injection well.
14. Testimony and exhibits presented at the administrative hearing showed a wellbore diagram, to show the completion of the Leathers B-3 Well. The applicant proposes that the Leathers B-3 Well be converted to a water disposal well.
15. Testimony and exhibits presented at the administrative hearing showed a summary of the fluids to be injected and a summary of the economics of the application project.
16. Testimony and exhibits presented at the administrative hearing showed tables summarizing the parameters, ownership, and formulas for the application project. Additional testimony indicated that approval of the application for the Jace Unit will increase ultimate recovery and that the formulas used to calculate payout are reasonable and fair.
17. No protests to the application have been filed with the Commission or the applicant.
18. Citation Oil & Gas Corporation agreed to be bound by oral order of the Commission.
19. Based on the facts stated in the verified application, having received no protests and having been heard by the Hearing Officer who recommended approval, the Commission should enter an order to authorize the unit operation and development of the Morrow Sandstone Formation, for certain lands in Township 18 South, Ranges 41 and 42 West, 6th P.M.
ORDER
NOW, THEREFORE IT IS ORDERED, that the unit operation and development of the Morrow Sandstone Formation is hereby approved, for the lands described below:
Township 18 South, Range 41 West, 6th P.M.
Section 6: W½ SW¼
Township 18 South, Range 42 West, 6th P.M.
Section 1: Lots 1, 2, S½ NE¼, S½
Section 2: E½ SE¼
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, that the formation to be unitized (the "Unitized Formation") is defined as the Morrow Sand V-5, being the stratigraphic equivalent of the interval found between 5,095 feet and 5,119 feet, and the Morrow Sand V-7 section described as the stratigraphic equivalent of the interval found between 5,148 feet to 5,169 feet, in the Dual Induction Log run on May 17, 1991 for the Schneider 34-1 #3 Well located in the SW¼ SE¼ of Section 1, Township 18 South, Range 42 West, 6th P.M.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, that the Unit Agreement and Unit Operating Agreement are hereby effective on the first day of August 2006.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, that the provisions contained in the above order shall become effective forthwith.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, that the Commission expressly reserves its right, after notice and hearing, to alter, amend or repeal any and/or all of the above orders.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, that under the State Administrative Procedure Act the Commission considers this order to be final agency action for purposes of judicial review within thirty (30) days after the date this order is mailed by the Commission.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, that an application for reconsideration by the Commission of this order is not required prior to the filing for judicial review
.ENTERED this__________day of July, 2006, as of July 10, 2006.
OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION
OF THE STATE OF COLORADO
By____________________________________
Patricia C. Beaver, Secretary
Dated at Suite 801
1120 Lincoln Street
Denver, Colorado 80203
July 28, 2006