Show Complications on an New Industry Reviewed in Washington Story Complications involving the position oo of Rare flare Gas ces Inc of f Salt Lake City in their announced plan to extract helium and other rare gases from oil fields on public pub lic land in Grand county were county were I explored this week in a Waa Wa a written hington special feature feature fea fea- ture to the Grand Junction Sentinel According to the release the project Under study study study stu stu- stu- stu dy at the In Interior Department Depart Depart- Department ment and Washington sources sour ces ees report that department Is Isa Isa Isa a long way from approving the the proposed venture 1 i Gas Gas Resources Re ne e- e sources S ap a an ofil official lal press release construction construction con con- st n would start in the near future on the e 30 O million million mil roll lion natural gas an and chemical chemical chemi chemi- cal t. t comp complex near Crescent Junction According to to the the project would include a 17 million s s separation plant and 5 million pipeline gathering gath gath- Bring ering system Also included would be a chemical plant fertilizer plant and an oil to re finery According to the Washington Washing ton release the Interior Department Department Department De De- De- De which has been less lass than forthright with the press about the project changed signals on Nov 2 2 and issued a press release reminding reminding re re- re minding Rare Gas that the government had not agreed as yet to sell seU helium to the company Ownership of nil alt helium on public lands is reserved re to- served by law to the U. U S. S Government The project Is 5 of special interest to We Western states where helium often occurs occurs oc oc- oc curs with other gases in oil and Ind gas deposits 1 The e project has been under under un der study for the past three years started by M. M E. E Baird a Salt Lake City engineer who vho conceived the idea of d de developing developing de- de eloping a a system to collect gases ases from oil wells in Eastern Eastern Eastern tern Utah to separate and sell About 95 per cent of these wells are on public land under lease and Rare Gas can deal directly with lessees to buy all aU 28 separate gases which occur In these wells except helium said In Moab last lait week that the project would begin even without consideration consider atlon of helium However Still not answered are the following points raised by the Interior Department at n September September September Sep Sep- meeting according to the Sentinel story 1 The fact that Rare nare Gas had not entered yet into contracts contracts con con- tracts for the purchase of helium helium helium he he- lium from oil all and gas lessees on public land all contingent on Rare Gas making a contract contract con con- tract with the government to tD obtain the helium initially 2 Rare Gas had not m made lc actual contact with the leaseholders leaseholders lease lease- holders in the Paradox Basin Basin Ba Da sin where It plans to oper oper- ate 3 The Interior Depa Department has las not permitted discussion o of the price the government asks for helium 4 Steps must be taken to prove rove economic feasibility of the he project to the Interior Department 5 Rare Gas was asked to detail of the propos proposed proposed pro pro- pos posed d project According to the Washington Washing Washing- ton on report additional communications com com- communications have occurred between the company and tho the Interior Department since the he above stipulations on September September September Sep Sep- 10 I to hold bake sales liles prior to the Thanksgiving and Christmas Christ Christ- Christmas mas holidays Saturday Nov 21 and Saturday Dec 19 The he Band Dand Parents Organization Organ t will also receive one one- half the proceeds of the upcoming up coming h hookup promotion through coop cooperation of Town Tow n TV High school principal Rex flex DouglaS was was' a guest at the meet |