UPDATE: Oil and Gas Drilling, Gulf and Calhoun Counties of North Florida
Contact: Georgia Ackerman, Riverkeeper
850-321-6262
June 15, 2021– Spooner Petroleum of Ridgeland, Mississippi recently concluded exploratory oil drilling at their Bear Creek well near Wetappo Creek in Gulf County, Florida. The well was permanently plugged, indicating a “dry hole” with no prospect of commercially viable oil or gas. Wetappo Creek flows about 85 miles from its headwaters in northern Gulf County down to East Bay of the St. Andrew Bay. Apalachicola Riverkeeper actively opposed the permit, submitting formal comments to the state Department of Environmental Protection at the onset of the permit process.
Related, back in 2018, Spooner Petroleum drilled an exploratory oil and gas well in Calhoun County, Florida in the Apalachicola River Basin. It also came up “dry.” Currently, Cholla Petroleum, of Dallas Texas, has 6 active permits for exploratory oil and gas drilling in Calhoun County, although drilling has not yet begun. Apalachicola Riverkeeper remains opposed to oil and gas drilling in the Apalachicola River floodplain and continues to monitor permit activity in the region. More information here.
Additionally, oil and gas prospecting in the state of Florida should be strongly curtailed with policies and resources focused on water protection and the reduction of greenhouse gases contributing to climate change. More on threats to water by oil and gas production.
State oil and gas permit information can be found here.
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Related news, WFSU and Tallahassee Demcrat
Comments of opposition to the Spooner permit submitted by Apalachicola Riverkeeper and Healthy Gulf.
