Oil and gas fever is sweeping the planet. Nations large and small are either beginning to reap the benefits of an energy program or becoming mired in bickering between industry experts and a handful of environmentalists. Either way, every country capable of doing so is moving forward with plans to develop their own energy solutions. In spite of all those programs in the works, Colorado’s oil and gas landscape remains one of the most eventful.
If you haven’t been keeping tabs on the state’s ever-changing oil and gas scene, there’s no need to fear. We’ve catalogued the biggest and best stories for February right here.
Matt Lepore Goes Private
Much hay is being made about the resignation of Matt Lepore, director of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. Lepore — who has shepherded the COGCC through several controversies in recent years — is stepping down to take a job with private energy firm, Adamantine Energy.
Though state and industry officials were sad to see Lepore depart, his replacement, Julie Murphy, is a seasoned industry veteran who will likely work to continue the programs implemented during Lepore’s tenure.
The Booming Niobrara Basin
The Niobrara Basin is spread across three states, but the meat of the basin’s reserves are located in northern Colorado’s Weld County. Weld is already home to more than 20,000 rigs, but that number is rising steadily. In March, the region is expected to produce more than half a million barrels a day.
The COGCC Goes to the State Supreme Court
After a series of back-and-forth legal rulings, the Colorado Supreme Court has agreed to render a verdict on the ongoing dispute between the COGCC and a group of Colorado teens who want to re-write state law in an effort to require the regulatory agency to overstep its authority.
When the two sides last met, a lower court ruled in favor of the teenagers, though state attorney general Cynthia Coffman refused to allow the measure to stand. The case will be revisited in the coming months.
Oil and Gas Is a Part of Colorado
In spite of all the regulatory shake-ups and perceived controversy surrounding oil and gas in Colorado, the industry remains confident in the state and its regulatory experts. For proof of that, simply remind yourself that in 2017, the COGCC reported a 70 percent increase in applications to drill.
Oil and gas, and its myriad benefits, are here to stay. The numbers don’t lie.