Mick Thomas

Division Administrator, Oil & Gas

Secretary to the Oil & Gas Conservation Commission

This update was sent to the Commission on Friday, December 27.

Current Items:
Well Activity (as of 12/27/19)
January Schedule
Operational Ownership in Payette Field
Third Quarter Report
News Article(s) of Interest

Well Activity (as of 12/27/19)
Southwest Idaho
• Six wells plugged – Espino #1-2, State #1-17, ML Investments #1-10, Island Capitol #1-19, White #1-10, Korn #1-22 (abandonment process still ongoing for these wells)
• Six wells shut in – Tracy Trust #3-2 (not plugged due to ongoing pressure in the well), DJS Properties #2-14 (application for Class II UIC under review by EPA), Kauffman #1-34, Kauffman #1-9, Fallon #1-10, Barlow #1-14
• Six wells producing – DJS Properties #1-15, ML Investments #2-10, ML Investments #1-11, ML Investments #1-3, ML Investments#2-3, ML Investments #3-10

Eastern Idaho
• No activity – wells plugged & abandoned and sites reclaimed

January Schedule
The 2020 Idaho Legislative Session begins on January 6th, 2020. I will be in Washington D.C. the week of January 6th on behalf of the Groundwater Protection Council. During this trip I’ll be part of a team discussing the GWPC with Idaho legislators.
I will also be attending the Western States Land Commissioners Association Winter 2020 Conference in Austin, Texas from January 13th to the 15th. I will be representing Idaho as we discuss best practices to manage endowment lands throughout the Western U.S.
The winter meeting agenda, as well as the mission of the WSLCA is available at

Operational Ownership in the Payette Field
A majority ownership position in the Idaho Oil and Gas play was purchased by Snake River Group from Alta Mesa Idaho on Christmas Eve, 2019. Snake River Group shared that the transition of operations should be completed within 120 days.
The Oil and Gas Division, as well as the Commission will monitor this transition from a regulatory standpoint.

Third Quarter Report
Attached (PDF) are the 3rd quarter numbers for Oil and Gas production in Idaho. If you have any questions please contact Oil and Gas Program Manager James Thum – jthum@idl.idaho.gov

News Article(s) of Interest
Alta Mesa can’t use bankruptcy to reject oil gathering agreements:
https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/texas-bankruptcy-court-applying-36060/

No evidence links contamination and fracking:

EPA finalizes Existing Owner Clean Air Act Audit Program:
https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/existing-owner-clean-air-act-audit-program-oil-and-natural-gas-exploration-and

Interior Department, States appeal sage grouse ruling: