Colorado

SandRidge Energy Inc. carried out zero drilling activity on its assets in the Midcontinent and in Colorado last year, causing production to wither, according to its 2020 annual report. The company’s output fell by nearly 25% in 2020 to 8.7 million boe comprising 24% oil, 45% natural gas and 31% natural gas liquids (NGL). In…

Following three months of negotiations, the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) has unanimously voted to require oil and gas operators install zero-emission pneumatic controllers for new and existing operations.  Pneumatic controllers utilize pressurized natural gas to activate valves at oil and gas facilities to regulate temperature and pressure.  Traditional devices release methane and other…

Bonanza Creek Energy Inc. expects to know before the end of March whether shareholders approve of the proposed tie-up with HighPoint Resources Corp., which would merge two big Colorado operators. Bonanza in November agreed to merge with Denver-Julesburg (DJ) Basin rival HighPoint in a $376 million transaction, combining their Weld County acreage and production. “We’re…

Colorado’s energy industry has come out swinging against Boulder County’s attempt to impose more stringent oversight of oil and gas well operations. Operators working in unincorporated areas of Boulder County would be required to ensure well pad setbacks are at least 2,000 feet and generally 2,500 feet near homes, schools and licensed child care centers.…

The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) has completed hearings to address sweeping changes to its mission, from “fostering” to “regulating” the industry.   The changes, which among other things also address wildlife mitigation impacts, were required by the state Senate Bill (SB) 19-181 signed into law last year. Hearings began in August to address…

Colorado’s proposed Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Pollution Reduction Roadmap should be sector- and technology-impartial, incentive-driven and as flexible as possible, while considering the potential economic impacts on all stakeholders, according to the American Petroleum Institute Colorado (API CO). API CO executive director Lynn Granger authored the group’s Nov. 12 public comment on the draft plan, which…

Colorado regulators have given preliminary approval to a rule change that would make it the first Lower 48 state to prohibit routine venting and flaring of natural gas by upstream operators.* The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) last week voted 5-0 in favor of the Rule 903 changes, which are to go before…

Occidental Petroleum Corp. on Wednesday padded its bottom line with a big deal to sell a bundle of western properties, while boosting another venture to develop a massive carbon capture facility in its No. 1 Lower 48 play, the Permian Basin. The Houston-based independent, better known as Oxy, agreed to sell some Colorado, Utah and…

A coalition of environmental groups has filed a lawsuit to jettison a federal plan that would allow oil and gas drilling on public lands in southwestern Colorado. The six western U.S. groups filed the lawsuit against the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in U.S. District Court in Denver. The plaintiffs claim that…