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Health officials push for tighter control of oil, gas

By Burt Hubbard, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published June 26, 2008 at 10:10 p.m.

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State health officials Thursday testified that Colorado needs stronger rules and buffer zones to protect drinking water from oil and gas development, while energy companies countered the proposed regulations are unnecessary and will cost billions of dollars in undeveloped gas supplies.

The testimony came in the fourth day of hearings on proposed rules before Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation commissioners on proposals to stiffen rules on oil and gas development in the state. Commissioners are scheduled to finalize a decision by Aug. 12, and a majority of the rules - if approved - will take effect in November. Thursday's hearing focused on the set of rules involving how far oil and gas operations should be kept from water supplies and rivers.

Steve Gunderson with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said buffer zones are needed to protect water supplies from spills and accidents that could contaminate rivers or clog water treatment facilities.

"Some well operations are well managed. Some are not at all," Gunderson said.

He said the number of spills from drilling operations reported to the state more than doubled to 119 during the first two months of this year compared with 54 for the first two months of last year.

The state originally wanted a 500-foot mandatory buffer between well pads and rivers, but has since asked for 300 feet.

However, industry officials told commissioners that companies already take measures to prevent contamination of waterways such as using lined tanks to store liquids and building earthen berms to prevent liquid runoff.

"Everyone in the industry believes in reasonable protection of our water supplies," said Tom Dugan, representing the Colorado Petroleum Association.

Robert Mueller, with Antero Resources, said the company is developing gas wells in the Silt/Rifle area near the Colorado River. A ban of well pads within 300 feet of the river and its subsidiaries would force the company to not develop or shut down 438 wells that would cost the company, royalty owners and the state in tax revenue almost $3 billion.

Instead, industry officials want the state to negotiate with companies on placement of wells near rivers and not issue an outright ban that could only be lifted by a variance.

Comments

  • June 27, 2008

    8:14 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jacka writes:

    Can't we just regulate and tax this industry to death

  • June 27, 2008

    10:07 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jbowen43 writes:

    We can tax and regulate this industry to make it pay its fair share of taxes and make it clean up its mess.

  • June 28, 2008

    6:12 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    soccermom writes:

    Can Antero use directional drilling to access that resource near the Colorado River or does that also risk contaminating the water?