It's not enough to know about drill bits and multiple well completions.

To successfully produce natural gas in the West today, energy companies have to know about how to grow falcate alfalfa in drought conditions, and how to affix radio collars to small game birds.

"I love the outdoors. We live here because of the outdoor activities we enjoy, so we're very much committed to conserving outdoor activities and conservation of the wildlife," said Reed Scott, general manager of regulatory affairs and permitting for Anadarko Petroleum.

The company drills about 500 coal-bed methane wells annually in the Powder River Basin, and 160 coal-bed methane wells per year in the Atlantic Rim area of southern Wyoming, in order to maintain about 440 million cubic feet per day of gas production.

That means Anadarko employees and the company's contractors scour the same sagebrush landscapes as Wyoming's wildlife -- some of which are struggling.

This year, Anadarko was recognized by wildlife managers for its work to preserve wildlife and wildlife habitat. Anadarko received the 2008 Reclamation and Wildlife Stewardship Award from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department for its work in the Atlantic Rim area. Anadarko also received the 2008 "Excellence in the Use of Technology" award from the Bureau of Land Management for compiling a database of habitat in Wyoming which it shares with land managers.

This year, Anadarko launched a program, in cooperation with state and federal land managers, to track sage grouse in both the Atlantic Rim and Powder River Basin. So far, 100 female sage grouse have been affixed with radio collars, most of them in the Powder River Basin.

Scott said wildlife professionals hope to learn where the birds migrate throughout the year and whether they come back to the same strutting grounds after development is established nearby. The more real-life data that's available, the better wildlife managers and gas producers can adapt to minimize impacts, and possibly improve some areas, Scott said.

West Nile virus is a particular concern for sage grouse populations in the Powder River Basin. Scott said Anadarko in the past has relied on tossing bricks into ponds to kill mosquito larvicide. This year, the company experimented with an aerial application of larvicide to cover a large span of coal-bed methane ponds and natural water ponds.

"So we're trying to minimize the impact of West Nile virus on sage grouse," Scott said.

Anadarko is also working with the Lake DeSmet Conservation District to develop enhanced seed mixes for its reclamation efforts.

"The target there is to develop seeds for site-specific areas to benefit wildlife and reclamation," Scott said. "We're trying to alter the seeding program to include sage grouse-friendly forbs that provide a source for hens and young chicks in the spring."

Survival of sage grouse chicks can rely heavily on having a proper balance of low forbs for eating and taller plant growth for cover.

The seed mixtures often include falcate alfalfa, which helps both sage grouse and mule deer.

All companies must comply with a number of mandated wildlife stipulations, such as seasonal surface occupancy restrictions, reseeding and noxious weed control. However, Scott said it's important to take a proactive approach to improve those strategies and gather more information about the land and the wildlife.

"We want to leave that legacy for our children and potentially for our grandchildren," he said.

Energy reporter Dustin Bleizeffer can be reached at (307) 577-6069 or dustin.bleizeffer@trib.com.