CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - A Laramie-based environmental group rated oil and gas
companies operating in Wyoming on their environmental performance, ranking BP
America Inc. as "best" and Encana Corp. as "worst."
The ratings were released Thursday by Biodiversity Conservation Alliance,
which said it consulted with other Wyoming conservation groups to come up with
the rankings.
"We considered in detail dozens, scores of companies," said Erik Molvar, a
wildlife biologist with the Biodiversity group.
He said this was the first time his group had issued such rankings, and he
didn't how often it will release the rankings in future years.
Companies rated as "best" were judged to be doing the most to move the
industry toward minimizing the impacts of drilling on Wyoming's landscape and
wildlife.
Biodiversity said BP employs the best environmentally friendly practices by
drilling multiple wells from a single drilling pad through directional drilling
and limiting wasteful venting of greenhouse gases. Directional drilling involves
drilling wells at angles instead of straight down.
"It's always nice to be recognized for our efforts because we work so hard
to do a good job minimizing our footprint," BP spokeswoman Paula Barnett said.
Shell and Bill Barrett Corp. followed BP on the "best" list.
The "worst" list consisted of companies that Biodiversity said have the
greatest potential for improvement "due to their abysmal track record in
Wyoming."
Biodiversity rated Encana as having the worst environmental practices mainly
because of its dense drilling in Jonah Field in southwest Wyoming.
Biodiversity noted that Encana also was seeking to drill in Adobe Town, an
area in southwest Wyoming that some conservation groups want to be preserved as
a wilderness area.
Encana spokesman Randy Teeuwen said his company has pioneered various
environmentally friendly techniques in Jonah Field, including the use of wood
mats that allow vegetation to recover more quickly and flareless completions
that reduce venting of pollutants. In addition, all but one of Encana's 11
drilling rigs in Jonah are powered by clean-burning natural gas, Teeuwen said.
"We clearly can point to many environmental innovations that we have been
using in Jonah Field for the past three to four years that we feel puts us in a
leadership role along with a lot of other companies who are using and innovating
techniques that they have as well," he said.
Encana was followed by Anadarko and Yates Petroleum Corp. on the "worst"
list.
Windsor Energy received a "dishonorable mention" for a gas well blowout that
contaminated some underground water wells in northern Wyoming.
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