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Additional Pages:
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Tools: Workforce Requirements Table | Map of Field Locations
Gas Field Pace of Development Calculator
Gas Field Pace of Development Calculator
The Pinedale Anticline Field:
The Pinedale Anticline Project Area (PAPA)
is located within Sublette County, WY on a
narrow, diagonal swath of land that
stretches from just outside the Pinedale
town limits along U.S. Hwy 191 to about 70
miles north of Rock Springs. Exploration
and Production in the PAPA began in
earnest in late 2000 after new drilling and
perforation techniques employed in the in
the deep, tight sand reservoirs of the
nearby Jonah Field proved successful. After
the release of the Bureau of Land
Management Record of Decision on drilling
in the PAPA, the volume of drilling activity in
the PAPA quickly surpassed the Jonah
Field as the project area is larger than
Jonah and thought to be ultimately more
lucrative. The gas reserves are several
thousand more feet deeper than Jonah and
winter restrictions on drilling were put into
place to protect wildlife habitat, however
many of those restrictions are in the
process of being lifted through various
winter drilling proposals.
The Pinedale Anticline Project Area (PAPA)
is located within Sublette County, WY on a
narrow, diagonal swath of land that
stretches from just outside the Pinedale
town limits along U.S. Hwy 191 to about 70
miles north of Rock Springs. Exploration
and Production in the PAPA began in
earnest in late 2000 after new drilling and
perforation techniques employed in the in
the deep, tight sand reservoirs of the
nearby Jonah Field proved successful. After
the release of the Bureau of Land
Management Record of Decision on drilling
in the PAPA, the volume of drilling activity in
the PAPA quickly surpassed the Jonah
Field as the project area is larger than
Jonah and thought to be ultimately more
lucrative. The gas reserves are several
thousand more feet deeper than Jonah and
winter restrictions on drilling were put into
place to protect wildlife habitat, however
many of those restrictions are in the
process of being lifted through various
winter drilling proposals.
Drilling in the PAPA:
As of January 1st 2008, there are about 28
drilling rigs working in the PAPA, this is
about the same level of drilling as this time
last year at the beginning of 2007. In the
summer months of 2007, PAPA averaged
about 30 rigs working at a time
The number of rigs working in the Pinedale
Anticline Project Area (PAPA) has increased
almost exponentially between 2000 and 2005,
with large seasonal fluctuations. Since then
the growth has leveled somewhat, and
restrictions on winter drilling have been lifted
in some cases.
The average drilling time in the PAPA is about
40 days, as the average depth of the wells is
about 13,000 – 15,000 feet. In addition, a
number of the wells are directionally drilled,
also adding to the drilling time and ultimate
workforce requirements.
As of January 1st 2008, there are about 28
drilling rigs working in the PAPA, this is
about the same level of drilling as this time
last year at the beginning of 2007. In the
summer months of 2007, PAPA averaged
about 30 rigs working at a time
The number of rigs working in the Pinedale
Anticline Project Area (PAPA) has increased
almost exponentially between 2000 and 2005,
with large seasonal fluctuations. Since then
the growth has leveled somewhat, and
restrictions on winter drilling have been lifted
in some cases.
The average drilling time in the PAPA is about
40 days, as the average depth of the wells is
about 13,000 – 15,000 feet. In addition, a
number of the wells are directionally drilled,
also adding to the drilling time and ultimate
workforce requirements.
| Click on Graphs to Enlarge |
Chart: PAPA Rig Count 01/00-01/01/08
| Chart: PAPA Rig Count as percent of county total. 01/95-09/01/06 |
| Seasonal Fluctuations: The Pinedale Anticline has shown on average bigger winter drops in rig activity as compared to the Jonah Field. However, due to a pilot winter drilling project, the winter of 2006 saw the smallest decrease in drilling activity. The extent of the seasonal fluctuations in the PAPA has changed from year to year , with the winters of 2000 and 2001 seeing little change from the preceding summer, while the winter of 2005 saw about a 35% decrease in rig-activity from the previous summer (Please see chart below, click for a bigger picture). With increased winter drilling expected in the coming years, it is anticipated the seasonal change shall decline. |
An anticipated Supplemental Environmental
Impact Statement and Record of Decision in
the coming year may further expedite drilling
activity.
Impact Statement and Record of Decision in
the coming year may further expedite drilling
activity.
| Chart: Winter Decrease in PAPA Rig Count (actual number) 1996-2006. |
Unless otherwise noted,
all contents of this
website are property of
the Sublette County
Socioeconomic Analysis
Advisory Committee.
Please Contact Us for
permission to use.
all contents of this
website are property of
the Sublette County
Socioeconomic Analysis
Advisory Committee.
Please Contact Us for
permission to use.
| Chart: Winter Decrease in PAPA Rig Count (as percent of PAPA total) 1996-2006 |
All Rig Count Data is from Drilling Records Inc./Divestco, USA.
Download the Rig Count Dataset Here.
Download the Rig Count Dataset Here.
