Mil Vid Samson Directionally Drilled Well

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Dear Friend of Big Thicket National Preserve,

Samson Lone Star LLC (Samson) proposes to directionally drill and produce privately held minerals at a surface location outside Big Thicket National Preserve (Preserve), with a bottom hole target beneath the Preserve. The Mil-Vid Properties A-3 #1 well would be located on a well pad site on private surface approximately 50 feet south of the Beaumont Unit in Orange County, with a bottom hole location approximately14,600 feet beneath the unit.

In order to access the drilling location, Samson proposes to cross 1,100 feet of preexisting dirt road within the Preserve. Samson also proposes to install and maintain flowlines immediately adjacent to the existing access road in the event that the well enters production.

The proposed operation falls under two separate regulations found at 36 CFR 9B. The use of the access road and placement and maintenance of flowlines will be addressed with a Plan of Operations. The proposal to directionally drill and produce of private minerals from private surface outside the Preserve boundary will be analyzed for its qualification for an exemption under NPS regulation 36 CFR 9.32e. An exemption may be issued if the NPS determines that the operations pose "no significant threat of damage to park resources…" The scope of the 9.32e analysis is limited to the scope of the regulations which include only those activities occurring within the Preserve boundary.

The NPS is preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to provide the decision-making framework that 1) explores a reasonable range of alternatives to meet project objectives, 2) evaluates potential impacts to park resources and values, and 3) identifies mitigation measures to minimize those impacts.

Project Milestones Include:
•Public Scoping Period
•Preparation of environmental assessment
•Public review of environmental assessment
•Analysis of public comment
•Preparation of decision document
•Announcement of decision on proposal

As the Superintendent of Big Thicket National Preserve, I invite you to participate in this process.

Sincerely,

Douglas S. Neighbor



Contact Information

Stephanie Burgess
Oil and Gas Program Manager
National Park Service
Big Thicket National Preserve
6044 FM 420
Kountze, Texas 77625
office: (409)-951-6822
email: stephanie_m_burgess@nps.gov