WSP11265

• File Number: 8274.400
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control - General Basinwide Salinity Issues - NPDES
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 2/21/1995
• Title: Pine River Investigative Team Report - February 21 1995
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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STATE OF
COLORADO

O/IL&
GAS
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CONSERVATION COMM:ISSION

DEPARTMENT OF'NATURAL ReSOUI'lO~S'
Roy !,\omEir, Go.ve~:>!ilr:'
1120 lincoln'S!:. SUite; ~".~..
Denver. CO 8 03.'.
. Pho. ne: (303) 8~4.2to"O. .
FAX: (303) 8~4-21'09

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For immediate release:
Feb. 21, 1995

For more information:
Morris Bell, 303/894-2100

COGCC RELEASES PINE RIVER INVESTIGATIVE TEAM REPORT

The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) has released the report
of the Pine River Investigative Team, which was formed in November 1993 to investigate the
causes of coalbed methane gas seepage in the Pine River Ranches Subdivision, a cluster of
about 20 homes along the Pine River five miles north of Bayfield in La Plata CO"unty. The
subdivision is located in an area where the geological formation that is being drilled for
coal bed methilne is very close to the surface.
The teilnJ. looked at possible caUSes of the seepages that included lack of precipitation,
effects of residents' water wells and effects of gas wells located within two miles of the homes.
Among the team's findings are:

"Gas seepage in the Pine River area can be expected to continue as long as water
production from nearby gas wells exceeds natural recharge from precipitation;
Precipitation patterns and water pumped by homeowners' water wells were
found to have little or no effect on gas seepage;
Water injection is the most feasible remediation method available;
"The Colorado Geological Survey has added coal bed to its list of potential
geological hazards; and
Methane monitoring in affected homes should be continued, smce no
remediation method can be guaranteed to be 100 percent effective because of the
area's complex geology.
Amoco. Production Company" which operates all the wells within a two-mile radius of
the subdivision, does not endorse the findings of the investigative team and contends that the

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seeps are caused by natural conditions that are not linked to coal bed production. However,

- more -

DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES: James S. lochhead, Executive Diraclof
COGCC COMMISSION: Caroline Blackwell. Allan Heinle' Bruce Johnson- logan MacMiIlian. Mike Matheson. ClaUdia Rebne- Marla Wilhams
C~CC STAFF: Richard T. Griebling, Oireclor. Brian J. Macke, Depuly OireClor. Morris Bell, Manager of Engineering
Patricia C. Beaver. Managef, Environmenfal & Commission Affairs. Maman Peacock. Manager Ollnlormalion

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