Abstract: Reducing the Surface Impact of Oil and Gas Exploration and Development: Soft Footprints on Public Lands

Bruce A. Heise

Much of the environmental impact from oil and gas operations results from the surface disturbance associated with geophysical acquisition, exploratory drilling, and production facilities. Additionally, studies have shown that surface disturbance on public lands heavily influences the public's perception of oil-industry operations. Land management agencies, charged with both protecting the public's interest and promoting hydrocarbon development, now require industry to consider not only the immediate environmental consequences of their operations, but the effect on the surrounding ecosystem and viewsheds as well. As the industry strives to minimize its impact, meet increasingly strict regulatory requirements, and enhance its public image, new and environmentally sensitive techniques, c lled soft footprints, have been developed.

Examples of soft footprints on federal and state lands demonstrate methods regulatory agencies and industry have devised to reduce surface impacts. These include remote acquisition of seismic data, containerized mud systems or zero-discharge drilling, and using existing vegetation and topography to diminish panorama degradation. Reclamation techniques borrowed from the mining and timber industry effectively restore previous well sites and production facilities to near natural appearance.

Creation of new roads in particular is a contentious issue on public lands. Studies have shown environmental impacts from oil and gas operations per se are not nearly as detrimental as the unrestricted access into previously roadless areas. Soft footprint management methods include closing or limiting access on rig roads, maximizing use of existing roads and pads, multiple wells drilled from a single pad, using non-traditional vehicles, and reclaiming roads upon completing operations.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90986©1994 AAPG Annual Convention, Denver, Colorado, June 12-15, 1994