Thursday, June 25, 2009

Santa Fe Reporter News in Brief

SFR Briefs: June 17

By: Dave Maass 06/16/2009

"Fossil Fuels: In December 1985, SFR reported on Black Ferrill No. 1, the first well in Santa Fe County to produce marketable amounts of crude oil. For oilman Bruce Black, the well represented success after more than 15 years of fruitless wildcatting in the county.

At the time, the well located between Cerrillos and Galisteo produced approximately 10 barrels a day. Each barrel could be sold for $28. However, not everyone predicted a black-gold rush.

“If you ask my opinion, I don’t think that Santa Fe is ever going to become an oil patch town like Hobbs or Farmington,” New Mexico petroleum geologist Roy Johnson said at the time—and so far, he’s been right.

According to data from the Socorro-based Petroleum Recovery Research Center, that inactivity resulted in the well producing only an average of 10 gallons of oil per year since 1993. Under the control of Tecton Energy, production reached a peak of 81 gallons in 2007.

Tecton is now trying to find a buyer for drilling rights. " SFR>>>>


Friday, June 19, 2009

Tecton closes well and chapter in Santa Fe history (Podcast)

KSFR

"SANTA FE (2009-06-19) -- A Houston-based oil development company capped off its last well and pulled out of Santa Fe County this week. The event marks the closing of a chapter in county history that led to a new ordinance on all types of development in the county, including oil and gas drilling.We go back to listen to part of the very first meeting on the question, reactions from county commissioners, and the promise of the ordinance. And we'll talk with Johnny Micou, the county resident who is called a 'villain' by drilling proponents and a 'hero' by its opponents. New ways to get news updates: (1)Headline updates on Twitter.

(2)News to your cell phone.
© Copyright 2009, KSFR
Find a free MP3 Audio Player. "

New Mexico Environmental Law Center

The New Mexico Environmental Law Center, the organization that represented Drilling Santa Fe for the Santa Fe County oil and gas issue, has launched a new website. For access, click here>>>>

State commission approves pit rule change

By James Monteleone The Daily Times
Posted: 06/19/2009 12:00:00 AM MDT
"SANTA FE — The state Oil Conservation Commission on Thursday approved limited changes to the pit rule proposed by Gov. Bill Richardson to reduce the costs of compliance for oil and gas producers."

The state pit rule, enacted in June 2008, required oil and gas producers follow stricter regulations regarding disposal of drilling by-products, use of in-ground storage tanks and well site environmental testing. The rule was designed to prevent contamination of ground water supplies." More>>>>

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Galisteo Basin well to be plugged

Tecton Energy suspended production from the well in December 2007 when Santa Fe County implemented a moratorium on oil and natural gas drilling activities in the area.

The company says the plugging process, which includes removing equipment and installing protective casings between the wellbore and the aquifer, has been approved by state regulators.

The work is scheduled for next week.

Tecton announced in February it was no longer planning to drill in the Galisteo Basin, citing the economy and tougher state and county drilling regulations." Article>>>>

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Energy ordinance would help residents go green

"Santa Fe County could be the first county in New Mexico to create an ordinance that will help homeowners purchase solar, wind or geothermal energy systems with almost no up-front cash.

Santa Fe County staff hope to have a draft ordinance for county commissioners by July. Commissioner Kathy Holian said she plans to introduce it.

The Legislature passed two bills in the 2009 session that allow counties to voluntarily establish special renewable energy tax assessment districts. The bills were modeled on similar loan programs in Berkeley and Palm Desert, Calif.

Counties who approve the special tax districts would offer low-interest loans to property owners who want to install solar photovoltaic panels, solar water heaters, wind turbines or ground-source heat pumps. Participating in the program would be voluntary for homeowners.

The renewable energy loan payments would be paid back through property taxes.

Coupled with existing state and federal tax credits, the loans would allow a homeowner to more easily cover the price of a renewable energy system that can cost thousands of dollars. In addition, Public Service Company of New Mexico pays customers for each kilowatt hour of electricity produced by a solar photovoltaic system.

The New Mexico Association of Counties, state agencies and the New Mexico Renewable Energy Industries are working with Santa Fe County to create a model renewable energy loan ordinance that other counties can use.

The bills were sponsored by Santa Fe legislators Rep. Brian Egolf and Sen. Peter Wirth. Cities from Los Alamos to Las Cruces are calling to find out more about the renewable energy loans, Wirth said." More>>>>