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MEMO

To: WBLU #1-3 Well, Platte Petroleum NEPA Project File

From: Kim J. Martin, Forest Engineer revised by Renee Flanagan, AFE

cc: Oscar Mena, IDT Member, Engineering

Date: February 2015 (Revised June 2015)

Re: Revised Engineering Report for road work

Application for Permit to Drill

WBLU #1-3 Well

T2N, R13E, Section 3 SE1/4SW1/4

Summit County, Evanston RD

An application for a permit (APD) to drill an oil and gas well by Burnett Oil Company,

represented by Platte Petroleum Corporation was submitted to the Bureau of Land

Management in the letter dated August 28, 2013.

The proposal in the APD is to access the drill site by using multiple State, County and Forest

Service roads. The roads addressed in this report as identified in the APD is the use of existing

Forest Service Roads (FSR) Gilbert Creek #075 (9.1 miles), Blacks Fork-China Mdw #073

(0.9 miles), and Tie Road Gated #388 (1.3 miles). The estimated distance to the drill site

along FSR #388 is approximately 1.5 miles with approximately 1.3 to 1.4 miles already

established from previous timber sale activities in 1995. The remaining distance 0.1 to 0.2

miles to the drill site traversing through a stringer of timber and a portion of a clearcut

previously closed will require reconstruction. See Vicinity Map on page 3 of this report.

NEPA Decision

The purpose of this report is to supplement and support the Forest Service’s decision document

for the development and approval of the Surface Use Plan of Operations (SUPO) as identified

in the APD of this project and as per 36 CFR 228 E and 43 CFR 3160, Onshore Oil and Gas

Order No. 1.

Current Status

FSR #075 is a single lane collector road suitable for passenger cars with a crushed aggregate

surface and includes 2 bridges (East Fork Smiths Fork and Gilbert Creek). FSR #073 is single

lane collector suitable for high clearance vehicles with a native surface. FSR #388 is closed (by

a 16 foot “Powder River” gate) at its beginning termini and is a single lane local road with a

native surface. It is currently closed under basic custodial care and classified as a Maintenance

Level 1 road.

Most recent bridge inspections for East Fork and

Gilbert Creek bridges were reviewed. Both bridges are

structurally sound with standard weight limitations

associated with legal loads. Both bridges have surface

course to protect decking. The surface course for the

East Fork bridge is asphalt in poor condition with

Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest Service

857 W South Jordan Parkway

South Jordan, UT 84095

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several potholes. The Gilbert Creek bridge surfacing is crushed aggregate in fair condition. An

inventory of FSR #388 for this project took place on September 22, 2014 See attached the end

of this report for details (Pages 4-7). The average width of FSR #388 is 18 feet with a two foot

deep ditch on the cut sides of the road. Fills slopes vary from 1½ to 3:1 slopes and/or

daylighted. Drainage dips have been constructed throughout the 1.3 to 1.4 miles to mitigate

for erosion. Presently, there are no culverts along the road. Vegetation such as Lodgepole

pine is encroaching along the cut and fill slopes of the road. Grasses are growing within the

travelway.

Planned and Expected work

The APD under section titled Proposed Roads Access Roads to be Constructed indicates no

new roads will be constructed. All existing roads along access and haul routes will require

improvements or maintenance.

Tie Road Gated Road #388 will require improvements. The one significant road work

described is as follows:

“The final approach will be constructed 30 feet in width and be a dirt road

which is crowned and ditched following terrain. Drainage culverts, if needed,

are identified on the pad and road layout attached to the APD. Drainage

structures will be designed to pass all naturally occurring mean flows.”

The APD does states in the same section referenced above “Road upgrading will consist of

graveling the roadway with [scoria] material that is acceptable to the Forest Service.” Such

material is depended on availability and approval by the Forest Service before such material is

hauled and placed on the road.

However, the existing road surface does not have a harden surface that would not be suitable

for heavy and repetitive truck loads for an extended period of time. It is anticipated that gravel

would be required to protect the investment of the road and surrounding natural resources,

especially if the drilling operations occurs over the winter and/or during other wet adverse

weather conditions. To haul and place gravel over the 1.5 miles of road including the drilling

pad would require approximately 9,300 cubic yards. This is assuming a minimum depth of six

inches covering 18 feet of the 1.5 miles of road and 8¼ acres for the drilling pad. If the well is

successful in producing oil and/or gas on long term basis gravel would be required as indicated

in the APD.

It is anticipated that the existing road width with an average of 18 feet will allow for free

flowing traffic for this project, especially if inter-visible turnouts are constructed throughout

the 1.5 miles. This strategy was confirmed in a meeting with a representative from Platte

Petroleum in a meeting held at the Supervisor’s Office on February 23, 2015. With the terrain

relatively flat, cross slopes up to 40 percent in various locations and a road alignment with long

sight distances and few sharp curves, approximately 15 to 20 turnouts will be needed. Each

turnout should be approximately 12 feet wide and 100 feet in length with 50 foot transitions at

each end. It is estimated to construct these turnouts will disturb up to one acre over the 1.5

miles. If the road was constructed to double lanes from 18 to 24 feet, the disturbed area would

be up to approximately two acres. Roughly, 42 percent of the 1.5 miles covers previously

disturbed areas from timber clearcutting activities.

It would be expected that culverts be installed over the 1.5

miles of roads particularly in locations where current drain

dips exists. The inventory identified 14 dip locations over

the 1.4 miles. Culverts shall be sized to carry surface and

ground water from rain and snowmelt, thus ensuring

erosion off the road prism is mitigated. Any disturbed

areas related to road work and drainage shall be stabilized

from an approved erosion plan.

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It is recommended that the existing 16’ “Powder River” gate with shown in the photo to the

right, at the junction with FSR #073 be replaced with a wider and more substantial gate along

with a “Road Closed” sign and objective makers to provide for improved security during the

well operations and for public safety.

Gilbert Creek Road #075 (9.1 miles) will require improvements. The East Fork Bridge

asphalt surface will need to be replaced to be suitable for repetitive truck loads. The

Gilbert Creek Bridge surface of 8-inch depth shall be maintained throughout the project.

The existing crushed aggregate road surface is suitable for heavy and repetitive truck loads if a

minimum of 6-inch depth crushed aggregate surface is maintained. It is estimated that the

existing surface has approximately 2-4-inch aggregate depth. It is estimate to haul and place

gravel over the 9.1 miles with an addition of 3-inch depth and 20-foot width would require

approximately 8,900 cubic yards.

Blacks Fork-China Mdw Road #073 will require improvements. The existing native road

surface does not have a harden surface and would not be suitable for heavy and repetitive truck

loads for an extended period of time. It is anticipated that gravel would be required to protect

the investment of the road and surrounding natural resources, especially if the drilling

operations occurs over the winter and/or during other wet adverse weather conditions. To haul

and place gravel over the 0.9 miles with a minimum 6-inch depth and 18-foot width would

require approximately 1,600 cubic yards.

It is understood that all Forest Service roads will receive commensurate maintenance over the

course of this project. A maintenance plan will be submitted for review and approval by the

Forest Service before the beginning of any project work related to this APD.

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Vicinity Google Map

Tie Road Gated Road (FSR#80388)

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