Wyo. To Open Books On 100s Of Oil-Gas Wells

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Petroleum companies and investors are about to get a better idea who has struck black gold and who might be in the red as a result of drilling into the Niobrara (NYE'-oh-BRER'-uh) Shale beneath eastern Wyoming.

The Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission is preparing to open up a vast amount of up-to-now confidential information on more than 900 recently drilled oil and gas wells.

The commission regulates oil and gas drilling in Wyoming and plans to lift "confidential" status for the wells on Wednesday. Newly available information will include production rates for hundreds of recently drilled Niobrara Shale oil wells.

The Niobrara Shale has seen intense activity over the past couple years. Relatively few oil wells drilled into the formation in Wyoming are known to be highly productive.