{"id":625327,"date":"2018-09-12T07:10:48","date_gmt":"2018-09-12T13:10:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/?p=625327"},"modified":"2018-09-12T07:12:46","modified_gmt":"2018-09-12T13:12:46","slug":"state-will-consider-boosting-gas-well-density-in-northern-nm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2018\/09\/state-will-consider-boosting-gas-well-density-in-northern-nm\/","title":{"rendered":"State will consider boosting gas well density in northern NM"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Laura Paskus \/ New Mexico Political Report<\/p>

A gas well in Rio Arriba County.<\/p><\/div>\n

At its meeting on Thursday, the New Mexico Oil Conservation Committee will hear from an energy company that wants to double the density of gas wells in northwestern New Mexico.<\/p>\n

Hilcorp Energy Company is asking the state to amend well density requirements in what\u2019s called the Blanco-Mesaverde Gas Pool in San Juan and Rio Arriba counties.<\/p>\n

Under the current rules, companies can drill four wells within the designated 320-acre spacing units, and only two can be drilled within each 160-acre section. Companies can also ask the state to increase the density of wells on a case-by-case basis, something Hilcorp notes in its application New Mexico has allowed it to do in 62 instances this year.<\/p>\n

Rather than continuing to file individual applications, each with its own public notice and hearing, the company is now asking New Mexico to change the spacing rules for the entire Blanco-Mesaverde pool.<\/p>\n