SILT, Colorado — A proposed Comprehensive Drilling Plan for more than 8,000 acres south of Silt has been temporarily shelved while Antero Resources Piceance Corp. goes through comments submitted by local governments.

Antero vice president Al Schopp confirmed on Wednesday that the application for the drilling plan was pulled from the December agenda of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC).

He said he was not sure when the application would be placed back on the COGCC agenda.

The drilling plan called for construction of 21 new well pads, and possible expansion of 41 existing well pads, on an 8,200-acre area known as the South Gravel Trend.

Under the plan, up to 850 new wells may be drilled in an area that touches on the southern border of Silt and extends for some distance to the east and west along the Colorado River corridor.

The South Gravel Trend may cover some of a town-owned parcel known as the Silt River Preserve, according to town administrator Pamela Woods, although she was unsure how much of the preserve may fall within Antero's plan boundaries.

The plan also proposes roads, pipelines and other facilities, according to information submitted for review by Silt Planning and Zoning Commission at a meeting on Nov. 1.

As of August, Antero reported in its application, it had drilled 203 wells from its 41 pads in the area, and that it has permits for 255 more wells from those existing pads.

Schopp said the company had sent out drafts of the drilling plan for comment from area agencies and governments.

“A lot of those people have commented back to us,” Schopp continued. “What we were looking for was feedback … and we think it's incumbent upon us to look at that feedback” and, where appropriate, incorporate it into the drilling plan.

Silt, according to Woods, submitted staff comments on the plan last week.

jcolson@postindependent.com