South Branch Drilling

Message from Our President
Who to Write
Huron-Manistee National Forests - Scoping Document
Map of Drilling Site
Background Links on Drilling

Media and Other Reports

North Woods Call Reports: Granholm challenged in bids for Pigeon, AuSable drilling & Granholm: Conservation takes a licking

Detroit Free Press' Eric Sharp: Gas-oil well draws opposition (June 21, 2003)

Detroit News: Au Sable drilling plan stirs anger (June 29, 2003)

Traverse City Record Eagle: Stupak: Saving land is a priority (June 30, 2003)

Gates Au Sable Lodge: Rusty updates the issue (July 2, 2003)

Quest Outdoors: Au Sable River Under Attack

Drilling Rig, Cook Inlet, Alaska, AK United States
© 2000 Airphoto, Jim Wark

Message from President Rusty Gates (dated 16 June 2003):

What is so special about trout fishing here in Northern Michigan? It's the peace and solitude we find on the stream. That is about to change. Below is a scoping document from the National Forest Service to allow Savoy Energy of Traverse City a permit for an oil/gas exploratory well to be drilled just off the banks of the South Branch, 1/8-mile from the George Mason Tract boundary, and approximately 1/2-mile from the river. The silence of a quiet night will be shattered by the sounds of diesel engines pumping product to market. The sound will heard for miles, both up- and downstream from the drilling location. One would be hard pressed to hear the sounds of a whippoorwill at dusk.

The potential for a brine or chemical spill into a very slow moving surface water system is certainly there. Just adjacent to this drilling site are three creeks, Singer, Sanger, and Sauger Creeks, which are historical beaver floodings. The drilling project as well as production activity threatens to turn a wilderness two-tract road into a widened byway for heavy trucks. This is a very fragile ecosystem. Judging from precedents, if this first well is successful, there will certainly be more to follow.

The historical significance of the Mason Tract to thousands of recreational users from around the world must be considered. The cost to the cultural and recreational experience must be weighed against the value of the gas. If production is allowed on a marginally profitable resource determination, the damage will be forever lost as a recreational jewel to fly fishers whom for generations have known the South Branch of the Au Sable as "their river."

I'm writing you because it can be stopped. Now. We have only until June 30, 2003--less than two weeks--for a response on this issue to the Forest Service. Take the time to write a letter with your views. Also forward this message to your friends whom care and suggest they do the same. We can have an impact on this critical issue.

Please act now and write.

Who to Write/Contact to Voice Your Opinion (Deadline 30 June 2003)

HAROLD R. FITCH
Chief, Geological and Land Management Division (GLM)
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
Email: fitchh@michigan.gov
P.O. Box 30458
Lansing, MI 48909-7756
Phone: (517) 241-1515
Fax: (517) 241-1601
(Mr. Fitch is person responsible for approving drilling and well permits.)

DANA DEBEL
Environmental Advisor to the Governor
Email: debeld@michigan.gov
Phone: (517) 335-7856

Huron-Manistee National Forests-Scoping Document (dated 3 June 2003):

The Mio Ranger District of the Huron-Manistee National Forests has received a request to drill an exploratory oil/gas well. The request includes reconstructing a road to access the well and, if productive, installing equipment necessary for treatment of the oil/gas, and burying a pipeline to transport the gas to market. This well would be located approximately 14 miles southeast of Grayling, Michigan in Crawford County (Sections 7 & 8, T25N, R1W). (See enclosed map.) I would like your comments and/or concerns on this request.

The purpose of the well is to explore for economic quantities of oil/gas resources. Once the exploration well is drilled and tested, a determination of economic viability would be made. If economical, the oil/gas would be sold. Approximately two miles of new pipeline would be required to transport the gas to an existing pipeline. Oil, and possibly some brine would be stored in tanks at the drilling site and trucked to market, and the brine would be trucked to an approved disposal facility.

The proposal is to slant drill from a surface location, which is approximately one half mile from the South Branch Au Sable River, in section 8 (National Forest System land) to a bottom hole location in section 7 (see enclosed map). The bottom hole location, that is approximately two miles below the surface, is in federally owned minerals which were leased in 2000. This proposed well would produce oil/gas from 640 acres of federal leases.

The surface lands above the bottom hole location are administered by the State of Michigan (Mason Tract). The Mason Tract federal lease has a no surface occupancy stipulation. Federal leases grant the lessee the right to drill, extract, and sell federally owned oil/gas. Because the proposed surface location is on National Forest System land, the operator is required to obtain Forest Service approval of their surface use plan before occupying the site for drilling and development. Federal leases also require the holder to obtain a drilling permit from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM). State oil and gas regulations require a Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) drilling permit.

The proposal requests authorization to clear and level approximately 3 acres for the drilling site. Approximately one mile of road (FR 4209) improvement would be required to access the well. During drilling, drill cuttings would be deposited in a lined pit. After drilling is completed, liquids would be removed from the pit and disposed of at an approved facility. The remaining solid cuttings would be encapsulated in accordance with DEQ regulations. Brine would be trucked to an approved disposal well. If the well is not commercial, the well site would be restored including plugging the well in accordance with BLM/DEQ regulations. Site restoration would also include recontouring, replacing topsoil, and revegetating the site using erosion prevention measures as needed.

The proposed well is located in Management Area 6.1 (Land and Resource Management Plan Huron-Manistee National Forests). The Plan states, “Provides opportunities for mineral exploration and development consistent with the semiprimitive experience designation.”(Page IV-182). The standards and guidelines from the Plan state:

Federal oil and gas leases will contain a controlled surface use stipulation with a maximum surface development density of 1 location per 640 acres. (Page IV-195)

Access to oil and gas developments is by low standard road with minimum clearing. These roads are gated. (Page IV-196)

The existing road that provides access to the Mason Chapel will remain open to motorized use ….... (Page IV-190)

If you have questions concerning this project contact Dwight Devereaux at 989-826-3252 ext. 313. Please send your comments and/or concerns to me at the Mio Ranger District, 401 N. Court Street, Mio Michigan, 48647, by June 30, 2003 so they may be incorporated into this decision.

Site of Drilling

Other Sources - Background Links on Drilling

Proposed Oil Drilling - South Branch, Au Sable River