2024 Project Expansion

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    As described under the “About” tab on this website, Sinclair Oil & Gas Company and its agents Four Sevens Operating Co. LTD and FS Minerals Ltd. (collectively "Sinclair") started leasing acreage within the City of Big Spring in 2017 in order to drill horizontal oil wells.  In 2018, Sinclair requested that the Railroad Commission of Texas approve certain “drilling units” in order to pool all oil and gas production attributable to four wells that would be drilled beneath a certain geographic area within the City.  The Railroad Commission approved the applications, and Sinclair drilled those wells in 2019 and 2020.  Thereafter, in 2022, the Commission approved two more units, as an expansion of the project.  In 2024 SOGC LLC as successor in interest to Sinclair Oil & Gas Company and SOGC, Inc. commenced phase III of its city drilling project by filing an application for approval of another pooled unit, about 175 acres in size called the Comanche Trail Expansion Unit.
 

    When Sinclair designed its first drilling units in 2017, it planned for horizontal well laterals about 9,500 to 10,500 feet long.  In the intervening years, there have been improvements in drilling and completion technology.  SOGC now desires to use these recent improvements to drill some longer wells.  To do this, SOGC has filed to expand its Comanche Trail Unit, allowing it to drill longer laterals reaching into a previously undrilled area of the city.  This area includes about 250 separate tracts.  SOGC has been able to lease more than 60% of the acreage, but as to the remaining parcels, the mineral owners have been nonresponsive.  In order to form the Expansion Unit and include the nonresponsive tracts, SOGC has filed an application to the Railroad Commission for a hearing, which has been assigned Oil & Gas Docket No. OG-24-00019074 and is presently scheduled for January 15, 2025.

   In early November, 2024, voluntary offer letters were sent to mineral owners who have not yet responded to leasing efforts, seeking their agreement to lease or otherwise participate in the drilling effort.  These mineral owners also received a copy of the Railroad Commission hearing notice.

   A copy of this hearing notice will be published in the Big Spring Herald for four consecutive weeks.  At the hearing, SOGC will present evidence in support of its application, and outline its plans to the Commission.  Any party desiring to observe or to oppose the application may appear at the hearing.   After the hearing the Commission will issue a written proposal for decision outlining its recommendations.  Parties desiring to do so may respond to the proposal in writing, observing the filing deadlines it will set forth.
 

    Questions about these applications may be directed to SOGC’s land agent Chad Loudermilk at 254-592-2699 or by e-mail to him at cloudermilk@foursevens.net.  Elsewhere on this website you will find materials from the prior applications, and a more general explanation of the project.