Niobrara shale play is rich with gas processing opportunities

J. Stell, Contributing Editor The unconventional Niobrara shale play (Fig. 1) lies in the US Rocky Mountain region. In Colorado, the play is found in the North Park basin in the northeastern portion of the state, the Sand Wash basin in the northwest, and the Denver-Julesburg (DJ) basin in northeastern Colorado and southwestern Nebraska. The play extends into the southern portion of the Powder River basin of southeastern Wyoming and into northwestern Kansas. To date, Weld County is thought to be the center of the Niobrara boom, boasting more than 18,000 gas and oil wells. Fig. 1. The Niobrara shale lies in the North Park basin and the DJ basin in northeastern Colorado, the Sa