Erie, Colorado residents concerned about new oil and gas project drilling under their neighborhoods
CBS 4 News
The Draco Project by Civitas Resources Inc aims to drill 26 new wells that could extend up to five miles underground right under neighborhoods and new homes. If approved, this could be the longest horizontal drill in Colorado. The area above ground would be in unincorporated Weld County, but the lines will extend under Erie and near existing wells.
For the past year, Sami Carroll has spent hours researching and fighting the Draco oil and gas proposal that would go right through her neighborhood in Erie.
"I don't believe that it is safe, and I don't believe that this type of technology should be done for the first time under one of the fastest-growing towns in Colorado, "Carroll said.
Before going forward, the project needs approval from the state's Energy and Carbon Management Commission.
On Tuesday, the commission held a community feedback event, where public comment lasted hours. Some concerns residents like Carroll shared include impacts on air quality, noise, traffic and how the project could interact with existing wells. David Frank, town of Erie director of Environmental Services, says some previous wells are in residents front yards.
The project also would impact new residential construction projects that Frank says the town has been working on for years.
"That's very frustrating for a town to have been working on a huge project for so long to see that project impacted in very short order by neighboring local governments over which we have a little control," Frank said.
But those behind the project say they're doing everything they can to keep things safe and efficient. Rich Coolidge, the manager of Public Affairs for Civitas Resources, Inc., told CBS Colorado in a statement in part, "We know that Colorado's regulations governing oil and natural gas development are some of the strictest in the world, and we see the Draco pad meeting and even exceeding the state's regulations."
But Erie residents still have questions about what the risks could be. Frank added, "Even the most advanced drill site, it is still impactful to its neighbors, and so we continue to work on how those more specific impacts can be mitigated."
The commission was scheduled to make a decision on the project on Nov. 6, but on Friday afternoon postponed it until Nov. 13, "at the request of the operator and the petitioners." The petitioner includes those involved in the new housing developments nearby.
As the commission prepares for the hearing, blank, the Public Information Officer & Community Relations manager for ECMC, emphasized, "The proposal has to comply with ECMC rule-making and regulations. So our commission ultimately is responsible for taking in all of those factors and making a decision within those parameters."
Civitas shared a statement that says it is committed to preventing impacts to the surrounding community.
"As Colorado's first carbon neutral operator and a leader in sustainability, we're known as an early adopter of new technologies and innovative practices. We know that Colorado's regulations governing oil and natural gas development are some of the strictest in the world and we see the Draco pad meeting and even exceeding the state's regulations. Following conversations from stakeholders, local governments and others, we've developed that pad site to minimize and mitigate impacts by locating it east of Erie in unincorporated Weld County. Our best in class operations will include use of all-electric, lower-emission drill rig, followed by our quiet completions fleet that reduces sound and emissions. The project will also expedite the removal of 22 older wells, which will also remove tanks and equipment located in and around the town of Erie and reclaim and return close to 12 acres of land."
"The extended reach laterals heard in public comments are nothing new to Civitas. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and innovation, we've progressed from drilling 1-mile wells to safely executing 2-, 3-, and 4-mile wells in developed fields, maximizing resource recovery while significantly reducing surface footprint and enhancing operational efficiency. Civitas, like other Colorado operators, meticulously plans its proposed wells, which undergo rigorous review and approval by the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) through the Application for Permit to Drill process, ensuring full compliance with the ECMC's mission, rules, and regulations. As Colorado residents ourselves, we are committed to protecting public health, safety, welfare, and the environment through our operations, demonstrating our dedication to our neighbors and surrounding communities."
"Residents interested in learning more about the development can visit our dedicated website. We've also included responses to Frequently Asked Questions."
Meanwhile Carroll plans to speak whenever the hearing happens, saying she hopes, "Sometimes when law and common sense don't necessarily match up, that the commission will hear the common sense concerns around this project, and not just rubber stamp."