 |
WHAT'S NEW
June 20: Fowler Oil hoping to explore more sites. Petroleum News
June 3: Fowler Oil and Gas has been granted a permit to drill in the Mat-Su Borough. Find a link on the media page here
April 8: A new article about Fowler Oil and Gas Has been written by the Anchorage Daily News. Find a link on the media page here
October 1: The Mat Su Borough has granted Fowler Oil and Gas a conditional use permit to drill a coalbed methane well between Palmer and Wasilla.
You can find articles on the media page here
2007:
August 10: A conditional use permit for Fowler Oil and Gas is up for public comment, follow the link here to read the permit on the borough website. The conditional use permit application is for a cbm operation with a single well on 840 acres, underground directional drilling, a 10'x20'x10' equipment building and a gravel access road.
August 8: The media page has been updated with an ADN articles about Fowler OIl and Gas and CBM exploration in the valley.
April 16: Robert Fowler of Fowler Oil and Gas submitted an application to the Matanuska Susitna Borough to obtain a conditional use permit to explore and develop Coal Bed Methane. He plans to use directional drilling and down hole watering to access methane under coal seams on a privately owned parcel in the core area of the Mat-Su Borough.
Please refer to the previous article (August 15, 2006) about Fowler Oil and Gas for further information.
February 8: The state has approved Escopeta's lease of the North Alexander Unit which borders the Susitina River and is within the Mat Su borough. Exploring for Coal Bed Methane is a possibility.
A pdf from the state detailing the decision can be downloaded here.
January 29: Forest Oil is putting their Alaska holdings up for sale. No news yet on who may be buying them. To read further, click here.
2006:
November 27: Important! The CBM Landowners Guide has been made available for download. Containing a wealth of information on Coal Bed Methane development and property rights, this is a valauble resource for anyone currently dealing with CBM. To download, click here. (39mb)
August 15: Fowler Oil & Gas Corporation, www.fowleroilandgas.com, is interested in developing coal bed methane in the Mat Su borough. They have approached some local landowners east of Trunk Road who own their subsurface mineral rights to negotiate leasing their land for coal bed methane exploration.
Recently, Robert Fowler, chairman & CEO, met with Friends of Mat Su to discuss the details of how his company plans to operate in our community.
Fowler claims they will rely on new technology to minimize impacts on the environment. These measures include; directional drilling technology that will limit wells to one per 640 acres, accessing low pressure gas which does not require loud compressors, and down watering, which eliminates the need to dispose of the waste water inherent in traditional shallow gas drilling.
They plan to contract with CDX gas http://www.cdxgas.com/home.html, a company that has experience with directional drilling in other areas. Fowler's company also plans to share royalties with both the surface owners as well as the subsurface owners of the land they develop. Friends of Mat Su will continue to monitor the coal bed methane industry in the Mat-Su Valley.
2005:
December 12: The Alaska Journal of Commerce reports that both Stormcat Energy and Forest Oil Corp. are completing preparations on their wells. Read about it here
December 10: We have updated the website with some added information on the current leases. Click here for more information. We will have maps of the leased areas soon, as well as more information. Stay tuned.
November 29: Thousands of acres in the mat su Valley, in populated areas along Knik Goose Bay Road and Big Lake, are currently planned for CBM exploration and possible developtment. Stay tuned for more updates soon.
April 16: Great news! Pioneer Natural Resources is relenquishing their leases! For more information, go to the media page, or here.
February 21: A summary of current CBM regulations and a comparison to each other has been posted to the 'Laws' page.
For a direct link, click here.
February 21: Just a reminder: March 1st there will be a CBM workshop held. There are still over a million acres leased for CBM development, and many private property owners may have CBM in their backyard. Click here for more information.
February 3: New meetings are coming up! Go here to find out what they are, stay informed, and prepared for what CBM will do in Alaska.
January 17: DNR disregards Requests for Reconsideration of enforcable standards. For more information, click here.
December 13: Today, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources released the "Enforceable Standards for Development of State Owned Coalbed Methane Resources in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough."
Go to the laws page for more information.
October 13: More Good news! The CBM ordinance was passed by the assembly 4 to 3!! Go here for more information.
September 29: Good news! Pioneer Natural Resources, which has acquired Evergreen, has released the leases Evergreen held back to the state! Click here for more information.
September 24: A huge thanks and congratulations to everyone who testified at the public hearing on the 21st and 23rd. Roughly eighty people testified, with ten being against the ordinance, and the rest for it.
The assembly postponed a vote until the 13th, for more information, go here.
September 7: IMPORTANT! There will be a public hearing at the next borough Assembly meeting on the Conditional Use Permit for CBM development that was approved by the Planning commission. Go here for more information.
September 3: Evergreen has filed for exploration licenses in more areas in the mat su valley, including Farm Loop road and more along Palmer Fishook road. A map will be available soon.
August 16: The Planning Commission is holding a public hearing regarding the Conditional Use Permit for CBM development in the Mat-Su Borough. Make sure to attend this meeting! Go here for more information.
July 13: A lawsuit has been filed against the state to reclaim CBM leased land. Read more about it on the media page, or click here.
May 21: DNR has extended the comments period on proposed CBM regulations to June 22nd!Click here for more information, and to read suggestions on the proposed guidelines.
May 17: The DNR meetings are over, and it is vital to send in your comments on the proposed CBM regulations. To review the current legislations, read reccomendations, and further information, click here.
May 2: Important updates! Several sections of the website have been updated with new information, and there are important events coming up in the valley regarding CBM. These include:
New link on the front page to subscribe to a newsletter.
DNR MEETINGS: Don't miss the new series of public meetings being held by DNR, starting May 3rd, Monday, at the Sutton Elementary. Make sure to check the meetings page for more information.
March 18: Property Bill of Rights now available for download in a pdf format! Click here to download. Please note, you will need the free Acrobate Viewer to open thes file.
March 17: Attend the press conference tomorrow, where the Property Owner's Bill of Rights is going to be shown to the press! A big turnout is important, to demonstrate how seriously the public takes this. It will be held at 2:30 at the Colony Inn, in Palmer. More details on the 'Meetings' page.
March 16: Interested in knowing the current status of various bills regarding CBM? Click on the link here, special thanks to Randy Carter for providing the page! You can also access it from the 'laws' page.
March 11: You can now view the regulations passed by the borough regarding Coal Bed Methane developtment in the valley. Click here to go to the 'Laws' page and then click on one of the resolutions on the left hand side.
March 1: Strategy meeting upcoming on March 4th! Location has changed once more. Make sure to attend, and gear up for a new round in the battle for our rights. With the DNR meetings over, a new phase is coming. Click here for more information.
March 1: The DNR public meetings are over, but are still open for public comment. Click here to find out more. Thank you to everyone who attended, and if you didn't, definitely visit the site!
f February 16: Please note: The location for the strategy meeting this Tuesday (17th) has changed. Go here for more information.
February 16: Download the materials and information for the third DNR CBM workshop from their site now! Click here. Please download these materials and make sure to attend the meetings!
February 4: IMPORTANT: Please call your legislator immediately regarding the new bill affecting private property rights and CBM regulation. Read more here.
February 2: Download the materials and information for the second DNR CBM workshop from their site now! Click here. Please download these materials and make sure to attend the meetings!
January 26: Please note, the DNR which are taking place at Teeland Middle School had the wrong directions posted. They have been changed to accurate ones, although they are a bit sketchy. Detailed directions shall be posted soon. It is important to go to these meetings!
January 17: You can now download, print, and sign a Petition urging the state to buy back the leases made for CBM development. Go to the 'What you can do' page for more information. Click here to view.
January 17: The full text of the Borough Resolution regarding CBM regulation can now be viewed. Go here.
December 20: Impact studies completed by the Wyoming Energy Commission are now available for download in pdf format.
Impact Study.
Working Summary.
December 17: The plan of operations for Evergreen's three core holes have been approved. For more information, go here.
December 8: Subsurface diagrams on the photos page
December 6: The Anchorage Daily News has posted an article that says DEC does have the power to regulate CBM. For more information, go here.
December 6: A link to powderriverbasin.org that details what CBM is going to end up costing to Wyoming residents. For more information, go here.
November 17: Evergreen has applied to drill 7 core holes in the Mat-Su. Comments can be made that the core holes should not go forward until a buyback is considered by the legistlature. For more information, go here.
November 17: BOROUGH ASSEMBLY HYDROLOGY WORK SESSION: 3:00 pm on Tuesday Nov. 18 in the Borough Assembly Chamber. Mark Clark and Scott Wheaton will give presentations about local hydrological conditions and surface impacts from CBM.
November 7: Alaska Dept of Natural Resources Matsu Core Hole drilling locations are posted on DNR's web site: go here.
DNR MAT-SU COALBED METHANE PROJECT TEAM MEETING: These meetings are agency and borough staff meetings to prepare for the public work shops. The public is invited to attend and observe the meetings.
Thursday November 6, 2003 1:30 p.m. 550 W. 7th Avenue, Anchorage Room 600 (6th floor)
October 24: Alaska Dept of Natural Resources Matsu planning process is posted on DNR's web site: go here.
October 23: Contact information for state legislators and local newspapers: express your opinion! Go here.
October 15: There are links to other information sources now listed on the Links page.
October 14: State announces plan for gas rules in MAT-SU. DNR also puts moratorium on new, pending leases. Read the report on the Anchorage Daily News website . . .
Maps: Where are the leases?
June 20: Fowler Oil hoping to explore more sites. Petroleum News
June 3: Fowler Oil and Gas has been granted a permit to drill in the Mat-Su Borough. Find a link on the media page here
April 8: A new article about Fowler Oil and Gas Has been written by the Anchorage Daily News. Find a link on the media page here
October 1: The Mat Su Borough has granted Fowler Oil and Gas a conditional use permit to drill a coalbed methane well between Palmer and Wasilla.
You can find articles on the media page here
2007:
August 10: A conditional use permit for Fowler Oil and Gas is up for public comment, follow the link here to read the permit on the borough website. The conditional use permit application is for a cbm operation with a single well on 840 acres, underground directional drilling, a 10'x20'x10' equipment building and a gravel access road.
August 8: The media page has been updated with an ADN articles about Fowler OIl and Gas and CBM exploration in the valley.
April 16: Robert Fowler of Fowler Oil and Gas submitted an application to the Matanuska Susitna Borough to obtain a conditional use permit to explore and develop Coal Bed Methane. He plans to use directional drilling and down hole watering to access methane under coal seams on a privately owned parcel in the core area of the Mat-Su Borough.
Please refer to the previous article (August 15, 2006) about Fowler Oil and Gas for further information.
February 8: The state has approved Escopeta's lease of the North Alexander Unit which borders the Susitina River and is within the Mat Su borough. Exploring for Coal Bed Methane is a possibility.
A pdf from the state detailing the decision can be downloaded here.
January 29: Forest Oil is putting their Alaska holdings up for sale. No news yet on who may be buying them. To read further, click here.
2006:
November 27: Important! The CBM Landowners Guide has been made available for download. Containing a wealth of information on Coal Bed Methane development and property rights, this is a valauble resource for anyone currently dealing with CBM. To download, click here. (39mb)
August 15: Fowler Oil & Gas Corporation, www.fowleroilandgas.com, is interested in developing coal bed methane in the Mat Su borough. They have approached some local landowners east of Trunk Road who own their subsurface mineral rights to negotiate leasing their land for coal bed methane exploration.
Recently, Robert Fowler, chairman & CEO, met with Friends of Mat Su to discuss the details of how his company plans to operate in our community.
Fowler claims they will rely on new technology to minimize impacts on the environment. These measures include; directional drilling technology that will limit wells to one per 640 acres, accessing low pressure gas which does not require loud compressors, and down watering, which eliminates the need to dispose of the waste water inherent in traditional shallow gas drilling.
They plan to contract with CDX gas http://www.cdxgas.com/home.html, a company that has experience with directional drilling in other areas. Fowler's company also plans to share royalties with both the surface owners as well as the subsurface owners of the land they develop. Friends of Mat Su will continue to monitor the coal bed methane industry in the Mat-Su Valley.
2005:
December 12: The Alaska Journal of Commerce reports that both Stormcat Energy and Forest Oil Corp. are completing preparations on their wells. Read about it here
December 10: We have updated the website with some added information on the current leases. Click here for more information. We will have maps of the leased areas soon, as well as more information. Stay tuned.
November 29: Thousands of acres in the mat su Valley, in populated areas along Knik Goose Bay Road and Big Lake, are currently planned for CBM exploration and possible developtment. Stay tuned for more updates soon.
April 16: Great news! Pioneer Natural Resources is relenquishing their leases! For more information, go to the media page, or here.
February 21: A summary of current CBM regulations and a comparison to each other has been posted to the 'Laws' page.
For a direct link, click here.
February 21: Just a reminder: March 1st there will be a CBM workshop held. There are still over a million acres leased for CBM development, and many private property owners may have CBM in their backyard. Click here for more information.
February 3: New meetings are coming up! Go here to find out what they are, stay informed, and prepared for what CBM will do in Alaska.
January 17: DNR disregards Requests for Reconsideration of enforcable standards. For more information, click here.
December 13: Today, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources released the "Enforceable Standards for Development of State Owned Coalbed Methane Resources in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough."
Go to the laws page for more information.
October 13: More Good news! The CBM ordinance was passed by the assembly 4 to 3!! Go here for more information.
September 29: Good news! Pioneer Natural Resources, which has acquired Evergreen, has released the leases Evergreen held back to the state! Click here for more information.
September 24: A huge thanks and congratulations to everyone who testified at the public hearing on the 21st and 23rd. Roughly eighty people testified, with ten being against the ordinance, and the rest for it.
The assembly postponed a vote until the 13th, for more information, go here.
September 7: IMPORTANT! There will be a public hearing at the next borough Assembly meeting on the Conditional Use Permit for CBM development that was approved by the Planning commission. Go here for more information.
September 3: Evergreen has filed for exploration licenses in more areas in the mat su valley, including Farm Loop road and more along Palmer Fishook road. A map will be available soon.
August 16: The Planning Commission is holding a public hearing regarding the Conditional Use Permit for CBM development in the Mat-Su Borough. Make sure to attend this meeting! Go here for more information.
July 13: A lawsuit has been filed against the state to reclaim CBM leased land. Read more about it on the media page, or click here.
May 21: DNR has extended the comments period on proposed CBM regulations to June 22nd!Click here for more information, and to read suggestions on the proposed guidelines.
May 17: The DNR meetings are over, and it is vital to send in your comments on the proposed CBM regulations. To review the current legislations, read reccomendations, and further information, click here.
May 2: Important updates! Several sections of the website have been updated with new information, and there are important events coming up in the valley regarding CBM. These include:
New link on the front page to subscribe to a newsletter.
DNR MEETINGS: Don't miss the new series of public meetings being held by DNR, starting May 3rd, Monday, at the Sutton Elementary. Make sure to check the meetings page for more information.
March 18: Property Bill of Rights now available for download in a pdf format! Click here to download. Please note, you will need the free Acrobate Viewer to open thes file.
March 17: Attend the press conference tomorrow, where the Property Owner's Bill of Rights is going to be shown to the press! A big turnout is important, to demonstrate how seriously the public takes this. It will be held at 2:30 at the Colony Inn, in Palmer. More details on the 'Meetings' page.
March 16: Interested in knowing the current status of various bills regarding CBM? Click on the link here, special thanks to Randy Carter for providing the page! You can also access it from the 'laws' page.
March 11: You can now view the regulations passed by the borough regarding Coal Bed Methane developtment in the valley. Click here to go to the 'Laws' page and then click on one of the resolutions on the left hand side.
March 1: Strategy meeting upcoming on March 4th! Location has changed once more. Make sure to attend, and gear up for a new round in the battle for our rights. With the DNR meetings over, a new phase is coming. Click here for more information.
March 1: The DNR public meetings are over, but are still open for public comment. Click here to find out more. Thank you to everyone who attended, and if you didn't, definitely visit the site!
f February 16: Please note: The location for the strategy meeting this Tuesday (17th) has changed. Go here for more information.
February 16: Download the materials and information for the third DNR CBM workshop from their site now! Click here. Please download these materials and make sure to attend the meetings!
February 4: IMPORTANT: Please call your legislator immediately regarding the new bill affecting private property rights and CBM regulation. Read more here.
February 2: Download the materials and information for the second DNR CBM workshop from their site now! Click here. Please download these materials and make sure to attend the meetings!
January 26: Please note, the DNR which are taking place at Teeland Middle School had the wrong directions posted. They have been changed to accurate ones, although they are a bit sketchy. Detailed directions shall be posted soon. It is important to go to these meetings!
January 17: You can now download, print, and sign a Petition urging the state to buy back the leases made for CBM development. Go to the 'What you can do' page for more information. Click here to view.
January 17: The full text of the Borough Resolution regarding CBM regulation can now be viewed. Go here.
December 20: Impact studies completed by the Wyoming Energy Commission are now available for download in pdf format.
Impact Study.
Working Summary.
December 17: The plan of operations for Evergreen's three core holes have been approved. For more information, go here.
December 8: Subsurface diagrams on the photos page
December 6: The Anchorage Daily News has posted an article that says DEC does have the power to regulate CBM. For more information, go here.
December 6: A link to powderriverbasin.org that details what CBM is going to end up costing to Wyoming residents. For more information, go here.
November 17: Evergreen has applied to drill 7 core holes in the Mat-Su. Comments can be made that the core holes should not go forward until a buyback is considered by the legistlature. For more information, go here.
November 17: BOROUGH ASSEMBLY HYDROLOGY WORK SESSION: 3:00 pm on Tuesday Nov. 18 in the Borough Assembly Chamber. Mark Clark and Scott Wheaton will give presentations about local hydrological conditions and surface impacts from CBM.
November 7: Alaska Dept of Natural Resources Matsu Core Hole drilling locations are posted on DNR's web site: go here.
DNR MAT-SU COALBED METHANE PROJECT TEAM MEETING: These meetings are agency and borough staff meetings to prepare for the public work shops. The public is invited to attend and observe the meetings.
Thursday November 6, 2003 1:30 p.m. 550 W. 7th Avenue, Anchorage Room 600 (6th floor)
October 24: Alaska Dept of Natural Resources Matsu planning process is posted on DNR's web site: go here.
October 23: Contact information for state legislators and local newspapers: express your opinion! Go here.
October 15: There are links to other information sources now listed on the Links page.
October 14: State announces plan for gas rules in MAT-SU. DNR also puts moratorium on new, pending leases. Read the report on the Anchorage Daily News website . . .
Maps: Where are the leases?