Enbridge Gas Utah seeks PSC approval for $150 million WexPro horizontal‑drilling pilot

Enbridge Gas Utah presented a proposal at a Utah Public Service Commission technical conference to authorize a $150 million WexPro horizontal‑drilling pilot intended to test new low‑permeability reservoirs and expand the utility’s drilling inventory.

Company presenters said the pilot would begin with a focused, stepwise effort — an initial four‑well technical pilot in a prioritized target (identified in the filings as the “Island” target) — and that each well would be evaluated individually by the hydrocarbon monitor before its capital was added to rate base. The company described the budget as a multi‑year authorization intended to reduce long‑term uncertainty about horizontal well results and to provide data to guide later development decisions.

Why it matters: WexPro wells are included in Enbridge’s cost‑of‑service supply, which generally provides customers with more stable bills than relying entirely on market purchases. Company speakers said horizontal development can produce very large wells on average but carries wider per‑well outcome variance than the vertical programs historically used in Enbridge’s footprint. Commissioners and Division staff repeatedly pressed the company on who would bear the cost of uneconomic ("dry") wells under the proposed pilot and on what guardrails would protect customers.

Key details presented - Pilot budget: the company requested up to $150…