Idaho finds ‘reasonable variances’ in oil, gas well numbers

An investigation by Idaho officials into a Texas-based oil company’s production reporting from nine natural gas and oil wells in southwestern Idaho has found what state officials describe as reasonable variances.

Idaho Department of Lands investigator Dave Schwarz told the Idaho Oil and Gas Conservation Commission at a meeting on Wednesday an error in a formula used by Alta Mesa appeared to account for differences between what the company allocated to wells and what was produced.

The investigation going back to 2015 found the greatest discrepancy occurred at a well where royalty owners have filed a lawsuit in state court challenging Alta Mesa’s method for determining royalty payments.

The investigation found a 28 percent difference in a particular product called condensate produced at what is called the Kaufmann well.