Exploration & Production FAQ

What is involved in seeking a permit for a natural gas well?

  • The process for permitting a well is detailed and varies according to federal and state regulatory requirements.
  • It requires a heavily coordinated process among geology, engineering, land, operations, legal, and environmental, health & safety functions within Williams, as well as with the various permitting agencies.
  • Williams’ job is to work with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and other federal and state agencies to determine the permits and environmental clearances required to ensure environmental protections.
  • Long before a rig moves on site, there are numerous geological and engineering analyses, environmental and regulatory reviews and consultations, site reconnaissance, and overall planning and logistics coordination to ensure we select the best location for a well to maximize gas production from the targeted formation while protecting the environment.
  • There’s a lot of discussion and planning that goes on during the process to ensure all environmental safeguards are identified and implemented. At the same time, Williams also works with landowners to meet their needs. The company prides itself on its ability to reach mutually acceptable surface use agreements with private landowners before proceeding with development plans.
  • For example, a federal permit in Colorado takes an average of approximately 60 days to turn around, from submittal to the BLM to approval. From planning to drilling, lead times can take up to several years if an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment is required. An environmental impact statement or environmental assessment, which are processes that identify and assess the potential environmental impacts for the resources to be managed on federal lands, are required to be completed and updated for the activities proposed on federal lands, including mineral development.

Here’s generally how the process works:

  • A geologist and engineer select an area that has good potential to produce economical quantities of gas.
  • Then Williams’ land department acquires the appropriate leases necessary to develop the resource. This involves either negotiating a private surface use agreement with a landowner or mineral owner or nominating or competitively bidding for federal leases.
  • Once the lease is acquired and the surface use agreement has been finalized, the geologist chooses the best locations to drill on a lease based on scientific considerations.
  • A surveyor visits the site to find the surface location closest to the well’s bottom-hole location, taking into account the number of canyons, cliffs, archeological sites and other obstacles around which navigation will be necessary. Then a plat is drawn that identifies the well within a one-mile square section.
  • The geologist, surveyor and environmental specialist work together to determine whether alternate locations should be considered.
  • Once the location is agreed upon, a site visit is set up with the producer, government or tribal entity that manages the land. Based on required regulations, Williams determines the level of environmental study required for permitting. The assessment considers alternatives and related impacts to numerous resources, including endangered species, migratory birds, big game and other wildlife, archeological sites, stormwater, fire protection, recreation and visual resources. These resource considerations result in plans for restoring the land to its original condition or better when drilling is complete.
  • When the various study requirements are complete and all entities agree upon the location, a drilling engineer develops a drilling plan and surface use plan that outlines drilling depths, hole sizes, the amount of cement needed to secure the casing, or pipe, used to transport the natural gas, and other drilling techniques.
  • After all of this work is performed, an application for permit to drill (APD) is submitted to the BLM and/or state.
  • Based on the environmental assessment and producer’s operations plan, the BLM will lay out its conditions for drilling once the application is approved.
  • At that point, drilling plans are initiated.

What is the process for bringing a new well online?

Preparation for a gas well may take years. Drilling it may only take days. Here's a simple look at how the process works:

Land Purchase. Gas producers acquire the right to develop natural gas reserves. This is done through a contractual lease for mineral rights. The landowner receives royalties from natural gas production.

Studies. Companies may spend years studying maps, subsurface data and the area’s general geologic makeup to determine the probability of finding natural gas in a specific place.

Permitting. Local, county, state, federal and tribal permits are traditionally required to ensure that environmental, archaeological, surface use, safety and maintenance issues are properly addressed.

Drilling. Gas producers, including Williams, generally don’t own drilling rigs. The work is contracted to companies that specialize in drilling. The process of creating a production hole can take anywhere from a few days to a month or two.

Completion. Natural gas is generally trapped within sandstone or coalbed in the ground. After drillers have reached the place where the gas is located, pores or openings must be created in the formation. This process, known as completion, improves the ability of the gas to flow out of the ground.

Production. After a well has been drilled and completed, natural gas can begin flowing. A pipeline gathering system safely captures the gas that is produced and delivers it to a processing plant for treating and purification. From there, the gas is transported through more pipelines to manufacturing plants, power generators and residential users.

Maintenance. You may see our trucks in your area from time to time. We are usually performing routine inspections to make sure that everything is running ok at the well.

What kind of technology does Williams employ in its drilling operations?

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How long has Williams explored for natural gas?

Williams has increased its gas reserves over the past decade through drilling and acquisitions. Two acquisitions, in particular, define our business profile.

1983. Williams acquired Salt Lake City-based Northwest Energy. Northwest's holdings included a major natural gas pipeline system and gas reserves in New Mexico's San Juan Basin. The reserves became the foundation for Williams' E&P business.

2001. Williams acquired Denver-based Barrett Resources. Barrett produced gas throughout the Rockies, specializing in the Denver-Julesberg, Piceance, Powder River, Raton, Uinta and Wind River basins. Today, the Piceance and Powder River assets have become cornerstones for Williams' E&P business. Interests in the other basins were divested during 2002 and 2003.

How deep is the natural gas typically located in the ground?

Now we're getting in deep — and you can't get there with a shovel. Gas wells typically range from 1,100 to 12,000 feet below the surface. But a few in the industry have been drilled as deep as 20,000 feet. Our wells in the Rockies go pretty deep, too.

Piceance Basin
Approximately 5,600 to 12,000 ft. deep.

Powder River Basin
Approximately 1,100 to 2,200 ft. deep.

San Juan Basin
Approximately 3,300 to 7,000 ft. deep.

What is Williams’ track record of working with landowners?

Ranchers and nature enthusiasts have good things to say about the benefits of Williams' natural gas development on their lands and Williams' volunteers in their communities. Their stories are featured in a series of ads running in local industry and agricultural publications.