Most oil companies gave up exploring seemingly dry Central Utah, but in December 2003, Wolverine Gas and Oil tapped into oil and now produce 3,000 to 5,000 barrels of oil a day.

The company has successfully explored Sigurd, 130 miles south of Salt Lake City, for the past two years, and plan to open a total of 10 oil wells by the end of this year. The deposits might contain millions of barrels, according to Wolverine Gas and Oil.

Wolverine obtained leases of land from past oil companies and a lease from the Federal Exploratory Unit for 65,000 acres. Between state and federal government, Wolverine holds the lease for about 500,000 acres in Central Utah, including land owned by 800 families in the Sevier Valley.

All top-quality crude oil is trucked to Salt Lake City and New Mexico refineries, said Patty Edmonds, spokeswoman for Wolverine.

Families in Sevier Valley and the government receive a return in every barrel of oil that is pumped, according to Edmonds.

“Wolverine has leased the land from the people and so they receive different amounts of money because of it,” Edmonds said.

Since 1999, Wolverine has used 2-D seismic data examining rock formations by bouncing seismic waves deep into the earth.

Covenant Field, where the initial discovery took place, is far away from other known producing oil and gas fields. Chevron held the land for a while looking for oil with out success before Wolverine acquired it.

The company uses sophisticated seismic, satellite and geological studies to aid in drilling. Sid J. Jansma Jr., who bought the company from his father, said in a finance report it is the Wolverine way to go wherever the science points.

“I like to tell people that the oil and gas industry is a thinking person’s industry,” Jansma Jr. said in the report. “We build on old data with new ideas.”

Ansbro Petroleum Co. of Denver and Cleary Petroleum Corp. of Oklahoma City have joined in making plans to find additional oil wells in Utah. Wolverine says they expected other companies to explore the region of Utah extending to Mexico in search for oil.

Protecting and preserving the environment is important to Wolverine and Jansma Jr.

To protect from any oil leaks at the top of the production site, Wolverine uses protective liners during the drilling process. They also employ experts in biology and archeology to ensure environmental protection at drilling sites.

“I am a Christian who believes we are stewards of this creation, as well as a grandfather who cares deeply about the shape the planet will be in for my grandchildren,” Jansam Jr. said in his report.



Copyright Brigham Young University 18 Oct 2005