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Last updated: 04/04/03

Bureau of Land Management Presents Excellence Awards to

Industry Leaders in Fluid Minerals Production

The Bureau of Land Management today presented the Director's Excellence Awards to companies in six states, for their innovations and environmental sensitivity in the production of fluid minerals.

BLM Director Tom Fry presented the awards at the Bureau's four-day National Fluid Minerals Conference in Albuquerque, NM. The Director's Excellence Award recipients are: Devon Energy in New Mexico, Eagle Exploration Incorporation in Nevada, River Gas Corporation in Utah, Texaco Exploration and Production Incorporated in California, and WBI Production Incorporated in Montana, and Cross Timbers Operating Company in Wyoming. Fry also presented a Legacy of the Land Award to Warren Sorenson and EOG Resources Inc. in Wyoming. The recipients were nominated by BLM State Offices' fluid minerals staff.

"The BLM recognizes those who are doing good work on the public lands," said Fry. "These companies have set a positive example by operating with and maintaining a high-level of environmental concern."

Fry added, "Although this is the first year for the Excellence Award, we hope to present it at a future National Fluid Minerals conference. I feel the exemplary work of these companies will raise the bar for environmental compliance and improved operating practices."

The BLM gave the Excellence Award to:

Devon Energy, nominated by the BLM New Mexico State Office, for its environmentally sensitive development of their operations near Carlsbad, NM which encourage public involvement in planning and development.

Eagle Exploration, nominated by the BLM Nevada State Office, for going beyond BLM's environmental requirements in conducting fluid mineral operations. Eagle Exploration also contributed the additional cost of providing water wells that benefit wildlife, grazing, and recreation on the public lands.

River Gas Corporation, nominated by the BLM Utah State Office, for taking a leadership role in substantially reducing the impacts of coal bed methane development near Price, UT.

Texaco Exploration and Production Incorporated, nominated by the BLM California State Office, for its leadership in safety, environmental protection, and innovation as the operator of what the BLM calls its most productive lease in the lower 48 states.

WBI Production Incorporated, nominated by the BLM Montana State Office, for proposing well locations that fit within the environmental setting of an important lease area.

Cross Timbers Operating Company, nominated by the BLM Wyoming State Office, selected for designing facilities that minimize surface disturbance and contamination. The company has also developed systems that prevent the need for surface containment pits.

In addition to the Excellence Awards, Director Fry presented a Legacy of the Land Award to Warren Sorenson for his reclamation work at EOG Resources Inc., formerly Enron Oil and Gas Company's Big Piney/Labarge operations. Sorenson and EOG Resources Inc. went beyond the legal requirements for reclamation of public lands, preventing substantial soil erosion and maintaining crucial winter wildlife habitat. "The testimony to this achievement is that today, a trained eye is unable to detect the previous disturbance to the area," according to Fry. The BLM's Legacy of the Land Award represents the Bureau's recognition of extraordinary contributions to the stewardship of public lands.

The BLM's fluid minerals staff oversees the development and implementation of national policy and technical guidance and the monitoring of three programs: oil and gas resources, geothermal resources, and helium management.

The BLM, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior, manages more land - 264 million surface acres - than any other Federal agency. Most of this public land is located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, which has a budget of $1.4 billion and a workforce of about 8,700 employees, also administers more than 560 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM preserves open space by managing the public lands for multiple uses, including outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, and mining and by conserving natural, historical, cultural and other resources found on the public lands.

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