Mick Thomas

Division Administrator – Minerals, Navigable Waters, and Oil & Gas

Secretary to the Oil & Gas Conservation Commission

This update was sent to the Commission on Saturday, July 9, 2022.

July 2022 Secretary Update

Current Items:
Monthly Production and Sales for April 2022
Injection Well Update
Field Status
News Article(s) of Interest
Current Prices

Monthly Production and Sales for April 2022
The April 2022 monthly report is available. More reports can be found on the Monthly and Annual Reports page. The Department will begin posting monthly production data for the Barlow #2-14 well in July. May production reports are due to be filed with the state by July 14, 2022.

Injection Well Update
According to the operator, EPA Region 10 is continuing to evaluate all comments received on the Recommended Decision published in January 2022. The comment period closed March 30th. No further timeframes for a final decision on the aquifer exemption and Class II injection well permit are available at this time.

Field Status
Snake River Oil & Gas has concluded well construction operations in the Fruitland area for the 2021-2022 drilling campaign and is currently evaluating the technical data from the three new wells. Additional development opportunities may be identified as a result of this work. Production from all wells was shut-in from May 9th to the evening of May 23rd. This shut-n was needed to perform scheduled maintenance at both the Little Willow gathering and Highway 30 processing facilities. Full production resumed the evening of May 23rd.

News Article(s) of Interest
New York Denies Permit for Bitcoin-Mining Power Plant due to emissions threshold
New York Denies Permit for Bitcoin-Mining Power Plant (governing.com)

Supreme Court: EPA Lacks Authority to Cap CO2 From Existing Power Plants
https://www.electric.coop/supreme-court-epa-lacks-authority-to-cap-co2-from-existing-power-plants

US raises $22 million from Western oil and gas auctions
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-raises-22-mln-western-oil-gas-auctions-2022-06-30/

Natural gas oversupply continues leading to additional price drops
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/06/30/natural-gas-drops-10percent-on-track-for-worst-month-in-more-than-three-years.html

How Do Graphene Nanoparticles Reduce Oil Viscosity?
https://www.azom.com/news.aspx?newsID=59322

Biden tells oil refiners: Produce more gas, fewer profits
https://ksltv.com/496191/biden-tells-oil-refiners-produce-more-gas-fewer-profits/

Current  Prices

Natural Gas (EIA)	$5.63 MMBtu.	07/06/22	(40.5% / $3.83 decrease since last month)
NGL (EIA)	$11.46 MMBtu.	07/06/22	(11.9% / $1.54 decrease since last month)
Utah Sweet Crude	$92.93 bbl.	07/08/22	(15.2% / $16.68 decrease since last month)
WTI	$104.78 bbl.	07/08/22	(11.9% / $14.20 decrease since last month)