The Western Gas Sands Project Plan, Project Implementation Plans, Project Plan Document FY 78 and the Quarterly Basin Activities Report are in various stages of preparation. Information gathering by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) of the initial data base for many of the project activities is continuing. Some base maps are complete and field investigations in the principal areas of interest are being conducted. Investigation of tight gas sands with scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction techniques and an X-ray spectrometer is proceeding. Research and Development by Energy Research Centers and National Laboratories funded by DOE has been directed toward the development of new tools and instrumentation systems, rock mechanics experiments, mathematical modeling and data analysis. The positive results of system development and data analysis techniques by Sandia and USGS/Menlo Park in determining fracture orientation have been very encouraging. The Field Test and Demonstrations section reports primarily on joint Government/Industry experiments. The Uinta Basin in Utah and Piceance Basin in Colorado have active massive hydraulic fracturing (MHF) experiments in the Upper Cretaceous tight gas formations. These are: Gas Producing Enterprises (GPE)--Natural Buttes No. 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22; Mobil Research and Development--F-31-13G; and Rio Blanco Natural Gas.