MINIMIZING IMPACTS FROM FLUID MINERAL DEVELOPMENT ON NATIONAL PARK SERVICE LANDS

While not generally associated with mineral development, the National Park Service oversees operations of nearly 700 oil and gas wells, 250 pipelines, 45 mining operations, and nearly 1900 mining claims in park units. Development is permitted only where 1) a privately owned mineral right exists; 2) development is in accordance with all applicable regulations; and 3) development does not impair park resources or values. This talk will focus on the techniques employed by the oil and gas industry to comply with this third condition. Much of the environmental impact from oil and gas operations results from surface disturbance associated with geophysical acquisition, exploratory drilling, and production facilities. Park resource managers, charged with both protecting park lands and permitting private hydrocarbon development, require industry to consider not only the immediate environmental consequences of their operations but the effect on the surrounding ecosystem and viewsheds as well. Industry efforts to comply with this requirement include remote acquisition of seismic data, containerized mud systems or zero-discharge drilling, and using existing vegetation and topography to diminish viewshed degradation. Significant efforts are directed toward avoiding or containing unintentional releases. Reclamation techniques borrowed from the mining and timber industries effectively restore previous well sites and production facilities to near natural appearance. Creation of new roads in particular is a contentious issue on park lands. Studies have shown environmental impacts from oil and gas operations per se are not nearly as detrimental as the un-restricted public access into previously roadless areas. Management methods include closing or limiting access on rig roads, maximizing use of existing roads and pads, multiple wells drilled from a single pad, using non-traditional vehicles, and reclaiming roads upon completing operations. Examples of each of these methodologies will be shown.