Source: http://cogcc.state.co.us/orders/orders/407/787.html
Timestamp: 2019-02-16 20:12:11
Document Index: 499356738

Matched Legal Cases: ['§34', '§34', '§34', '§34', '§34', '§34']

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF CONDOR ENERGY TECHNOLOGY LLC FOR AN ORDER TO POOL ALL INTERESTS IN AN APPROXIMATE 640-ACRE DRILLING AND SPACING UNIT ESTABLISHED FOR SECTION 32, TOWNSHIP 7 NORTH, RANGE 60 WEST, 6TH P.M., FOR THE NIOBRARA FORMATION, UNNAMED FIELD, WELD COUNTY, COLORADO
DOCKET NO. 1305-UP-81
ORDER NOS. 407-787 & 535-334
The Commission heard this matter on May 6, 2013, at the Weld County Southwest Services Complex, 4209 Weld County Road 24 ½, Longmont, Colorado, upon application for an order to pool all interests in an approximate 640-acre exploratory drilling and spacing unit established for Section 32, Township 7 North, Range 60 West, 6th P.M., to accommodate the Kuhn 32-1H Well, for the development and operation of the Niobrara Formation.
4. On May 29, 2012, the Commission entered Order No. 407-642 / 535-163 which, among other things, established six approximate 640 to 1280-acre drilling and spacing units, and approved up to four horizontal wells within each unit, for the production of oil, gas and associated hydrocarbons from the Niobrara Formation. Section 32, Township 7 North, Range 60 West, 6th P.M. is subject to this Order for the Niobrara Formation.
5. On March 7, 2013, Condor, by its attorneys, filed with the Commission pursuant to §34-60-116 C.R.S., a verified application (“Application”) for an order to pool all interests in an approximate 640-acre drilling and spacing unit established for the below-described lands (“Application Lands”), for the development and operation of the Niobrara Formation, effective as of the earlier of the date of the Application, or the date that any of the costs specified in C.R.S. §34-60-116(7)(b)(II) were first incurred for the drilling of the Kuhn 32-1H Well (“Well”), and the three additional wells approved by Order Nos. 407-642 / 535-163, and to subject any nonconsenting interests to the cost recovery provisions of C.R.S. §34-60-116(7):
6. On April 23, 2013, Prima Exploration Inc. (“Prima” or “Protestant”), filed a Protest to the Application objecting to Condor’s request to pool all subsequent wells, and requests the Commission only pool wells on a well-by-well basis, pursuant to §34-60116(7).
7. On April 26, 2013, a Prehearing Conference was held at the offices of the COGCC.
8. On May 1, 2013, Prima withdrew its Protest of the Application.
9. On May 2, 2013, Condor, by its attorneys, filed with the Commission a written request to approve the Application based on the merits of the verified Application and the supporting exhibits. Sworn written testimony and exhibits were submitted in support of the Application.
10. Land testimony and exhibits submitted in support of the Application by Sean Fitzgerald, Engineering and Land Manager of South Texas Reservoir Alliance LLC for Condor, showed that all nonconsenting interest owners were notified of the Application and received an Authority for Expenditure ("AFE") and offer to participate in the Well. Further testimony concluded that the AFE sent by the Applicant to the interest owners was a fair and reasonable estimate of the costs of the proposed drilling operation and was received at least 30 days prior to the May 6, 2013 hearing date.
11. Land testimony and exhibits supported pooling of the Kuhn 32-1H Well only.
13. Condor agreed to be bound by oral order of the Commission.
14. Based on the facts stated in the verified Application, having resolved all protests, and based on the Hearing Officer review of the Application under Rule 511., the Commission should enter an order to pool all interests in an approximate 640-acre exploratory drilling and spacing unit established for Section 32, Township 7 North, Range 60 West, 6th P.M., to accommodate the Kuhn 32-1H Well, for the development and operation of the Niobrara Formation.
1. Pursuant to the provisions of §34-60-116, C.R.S., as amended, of the Oil and Gas Conservation Act, all interests in the approximate 640-acre exploratory drilling and spacing unit established for the below-described lands, are hereby pooled, for the development and operation of the Niobrara Formation, effective as of the earlier of the date of the Application, or the date that any of the costs specified in C.R.S. §34-60-116(7)(b)(II) are first incurred for the drilling of the Kuhn 32-1H Well: