It’s crucial to the success of coalbed natural gas development that it co-exist naturally with the environment it inhabits, whether it’s a farm, ranch, wildlife habitat or all of the above. Great care is taken to leave as small a footprint and to reclaim the land as soon as possible to its prior condition.

To facilitate co-existence, many steps are taken to minimize impact from development. Wellhead covers are usually painted either a tan or dark green color (for those in an irrigated field) to blend into their surroundings. Metering stations and compressors are also painted a neutral color to blend in and are strategically placed to limit their noise output and impact on landscape viewing. Water discharge sites are agreed upon by the landowner for maximum use. Roads are only constructed when necessary and desired by the landowner – otherwise, a two-track is in place temporarily. Travel to and from the development is only as needed since most monitoring of the gas and water can be done from a remote location. And the nesting and birthing seasons for wildlife are respected to mitigate impact from development during those times.

View some pictorial examples of coe-xistence among coalbed natural gas, farming, ranching, wildlife and a healthy environment on the following pages;