American Oil and Gas Reporter - May 2023 - 39

ConventionSec tion: Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico
Winchester promises that IPANM will
keep pushing back against the listing in
cooperation with other industry and business
groups. " Going forward, we continue to
monitor the situation and submit comments, "
he says. " We will continue to work with
other groups to find a workable path. "
San Juan Basin
Permian Basin activity and output attracts
plenty of attention, but New Mexico's
other producing province, the San
Juan Basin, shows plenty of life, Campbell
observes. The play experienced an uptick
in activity after natural gas prices bounced
back in 2021 and 2022. However, Campbell
points out that the San Juan Basin,
where Enduring Resources operates about
1,100 wells, offers significant oil targets
as well.
The company consistently has emphasized
a balance between the two commodities,
he says, and the San Juan Basin
complements that strategy. " We are in
the top tier of producers, with a blend of
60% oil, 40% gas, " he estimates. " We
have a meaningful impact in the San
Juan Basin. "
Moreover, he notes, although the national
story on natural gas has in recent
months focused on falling prices, the regional
story is different. The U.S. Energy
Information Administration's March 31
natural gas storage report shows that the
country's cumulative storage levels are
almost 20% above the five-year average,
but Pacific region gas storage trails the
five-year average by more than 56%.
" We are in a resource play in the Mancos
formation that continues to be favorable
to investing, " he says.
According to Campbell, Mancos Shale
production in the southern San Juan Basin
is oily and transitions to prolific dry gas
to the north. " We have a couple of large,
older units in the Mancos dry gas window, "
he reports. " We tested a couple of wells
late last year that looked strong. We will
add another four-six wells in the coming
years, depending on permitting, and then
move into Colorado and develop that
asset as well. "
Public Lands Challenges
Of course, permitting delays and other
regulatory considerations can be particularly
chronic on public lands. However,
Campbell offers Enduring Resources as
a testimony that companies still can do
business in areas owned by the state and
federal governments.
" We deal with every federal jurisdiction
and acronym, including the BLM, BIA,
USFWS, EPA and more, as well as all
New Mexico's state agencies, " he chuckles.
" I have a large regulatory and HSE staff
that works very hard to keep the ship
moving forward. "
Nevertheless, he acknowledges, not
even Enduring's stellar staff can shoulder
the entire load itself. Moreover, smaller
companies often cannot afford to devote
as many resources to such matters.
" They can crush some companies, " he
reflects. " That is where the benefits of
IPANM come in. It is an investment
that really helps. "
" We work with small producers and
MAY 2023 39
https://www.iogsi.com/
American Oil and Gas Reporter - May 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Oil and Gas Reporter - May 2023
