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Land Letter <br />Update for Thursday <br />August 5, 2004 <br />• WII_ <br />,, •r•. s • •- •• TjIIIj �•• <br />April Reese, Land Letter Southwest correspondent <br />SANTA FE, N.M. -- On the surface, the expansive <br />Valle Vidal, a volcanic crater sprawling across <br />nnrthpr Mexico's Carson National Forest, is a <br />vast, grassy bowl range y pon erosa pines and rife <br />with elk. <br />Hundreds of feet below, the valle is a geologic hotbed <br />of coalbed methane, one of the nation's most in- <br />demand energy sources. <br />That is the conclusion of a report released last week <br />bpetro leum geologists whotap ve t the past few <br />mo6lFs s u ying the alle <br />Vidal's potential for energy <br />development. <br />The report, called a "rea_s -Q L for g le <br />development scenario," examined whether the area <br />holds enough economically retrievable gas to merit <br />development over the next 2,^0 years. The study, <br />commissioned by the Forest Service, was conducted <br />in response onse to a prop osal b� y El Paso orp. to explore <br />energy resources in the Valle Vidal (Land Letter, Feb. <br />26). The company's request has sparked a firestorm of opposition from local and national <br />environmental groups, as well as hunters, business leaders and other interests. <br />Page 1 of 3 <br />The Carson National Forest, shown here in green, covers <br />1.5 million acres. Map courtesy of the Forest Service. <br />"The.. pgioa _al for development of oil and gas resources at the eastern Valle idal Unit is jW," the <br />authors wrote, noting that coalbed methane, a form of natural gas found in coal seams, holds the <br />most "immediate economic benefit." <br />The Valle Vidal lies within the Raton Basin, encompassing parts of northern New Mexico and <br />southern Colorado, a region that is "becoming inrreasin important in nrovidinq the nation with <br />natural aas," the authors noted. <br />The report suggests three phases of development: initial test drilling at as many as 10 sites to <br />"evaluate geologic and economic conditions "; setting up infrastructure needed for expanded <br />development, including a pipeline and gas compressors; and finally, full development. Drilling would <br />occur in the eastern part of the Valle Vi ac�l —whic accounts for about 40,000 acres of the 100,000 - <br />acre Forest Service urflt. <br />http: / /www.cenews. net / Landletter /Backissues /080504/08050404.htm 8/5/2004 <br />