The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission on Monday approved a proposal by three energy companies to increase drilling in about one-third of the Wattenberg Field in northern Colorado.
Kerr-McGee Corp., Encana Corp. and Noble Energy Marketing Inc. will drill about 200 to 300 wells annually over the next 20 years in the field.
Company officials say more wells are needed to reach untapped reserves and extend the life of the field, which supplies about a third of the natural gas used by Front Range homes and businesses.
The plan was opposed by several local ranchers, developers and landowners who called the move a land grab.
Others expressed concerns that increased drilling might cause environmental problems.
To minimize conflicts with surface landowners, the operators volunteered to use directional drilling and to reduce the size of the area included in the proposal.
The commission decided to reduce the size even further, carving Brighton, Thornton and Broomfield out of the proposal.
“I think our prime goals and concerns have been addressed here today even though the size of the area has been whittled down,” said Ken Wonstolen, attorney for the Colorado Oil and Gas Association.
In addition to reducing the proposed area’s size, the commission decided to require the operators to perform additional water-quality testing and to utilize existing roads and equipment.
Carolyn Lamb, an attorney with the industry watchdog Oil & Gas Accountability Project, applauded the commission’s decision to require the operators to perform more environmental tests.
“We testified about the need to protect public health and the environment and believe that water- quality tests are a good step to take in this area,” Lamb said.
Commissioners agreed to revisit the new Wattenberg plan in two years.
Commissioner Brian Cree said he hoped future changes won’t be solely dictated by natural-resource prices.
“We don’t want to change our rules based on the price of oil,” he said. “In three years, two years, it could be very different from what we’re seeing today.”
Staff writer Kim McGuire can be reached at 303-820-1240 or kmcguire@denverpost.com.
