CURRENT STATE OF OIL EXPLORATION & DEVELOPMENT

Collier Resources Company (CRC) has been a responsible manager of their mineral rights for more than seven decades and continues to develop oil fields in Southwest Florida through leasing agreements with some of the most reputable oil production companies in the nation.

CRC is also committed to working with all of the pertinent regulatory bodies, the Collier County Board of County Commissioners, and the community to ensure that oil exploration and development in Southwest Florida continues to be carried out in a responsible, transparent and environmentally-sensitive manner, as it always has.

To that end, CRC recently partnered with the Collier County Board of County Commissioners and retained an independent groundwater expert, Conestoga-Rovers & Associates (CRA), to test and model the groundwater surrounding the well, in order to ensure those resources are protected and preserved after concerns were raised by the public and third-party groups about groundwater resources being compromised at the Collier-Hogan well site south of Lake Trafford. 

The study and modeling conducted by CRA found that the oil exploration and development activities that have been carried out have not impacted local or regional groundwater resources. The modeling, in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) water sampling, clearly indicates that neither the homeowners’ wells in the area, nor the public well fields in the county are in any danger from any possible contaminants at the oil well site.

To view a video presentation of CRA findings click here. You can also view the executive summary of the study here.

Further demonstrating its commitment to environmental stewardship, CRC has committed that, until a time when the Department of Environmental Protection issues clear regulations on reservoir stimulation techniques that are used throughout the country but may be new to Florida, all CRC lessees will only use traditional production techniques when operating in the newly-drilled lower Sunniland.

Presently, all current lessees are drilling and producing from the upper Sunniland formation using traditional practices including horizontal directional drilling.

The Future of Oil Exploration & Development 

 Currently, Burnett Oil Co., Inc. (Burnett) is in the permitting process with plans to conduct 3-D seismic surveying in the Big Cypress National Preserve. Tellus Energy, LLC (Tellus) is also in the permitting process with plans to conduct a 3-D seismic survey on private property in Collier and Hendry Counties.

If Burnett and Tellus’ exploration prove successful and they identify potential areas to drill, these companies will move forward with acquiring the required federal, state and local regulatory permits to begin the drilling and production process.

Just as technology has changed over the decades the regulations governing the industry must also keep pace in order to ensure that all oil exploration and development is operating under a clear set of rules that reflects the current state of the industry and balances Florida’s energy needs with environmental stewardship, CRC will be working with lawmakers and regulators to update currents laws, as well as rules and regulations that are currently in place for the industry.

As a responsible landowner, business partner and community member, CRC looks forward to continuing the safe and reliable practice of oil exploration and development in Southwest Florida.



Oil and natural gas supply more than 60 percent of our nation’s energy.

The oil industry provides more than 9.2 million American jobs, 267,277 in Florida alone.
The oil industry has invested $175 billion since 1990 toward improving the environmental performance of its products, facilities and operations.
Currently, oil is the principal transportation fuel in the United States, accounting for more than 97 percent of the energy that powers our nation’s automobiles, airplanes and ships.
Oil is expected to remain the dominant fuel in our nation’s energy mix for decades.
Combined with natural gas production, the oil industry supports nearly 9.2 million American jobs, while providing millions of dollars to the economy through state and local revenue each day. 
The oil and natural gas industry contributes significantly to the U.S. economy as one of the nation’s largest employers and purchasers of goods. 
9.8 million people are directly or indirectly employed by the U.S. oil and natural gas industry.
Energy demand in the U.S. is expected to grow by 12 percent between now and 2040.
America’s oil and natural gas industry has a long-standing commitment to safety and protecting the environment. 
Since 1990, the oil and natural gas industry has invested $239 billion toward improving the environmental performance of its products, facilities and operations
Oil and natural gas development has been safely conducted for more than 60 years.