Oil and Gas Inspection Program

Resources and Testing

Soil Gas Testing

The City and County of Broomfield has established a soil gas screening program to conduct assessments of plugged and abandoned oil and gas wells within the city limits for the health and safety of residents. The purpose of the assessments is to investigate well plug integrity by screening surrounding soils for methane gas. A summary of results is provided to property owners upon completion of screening activities.

Broomfield’s Process

The city’s goal is to develop strategy and legally permissible tools that best reflect Broomfield’s community values. In order to accomplish the best outcome, Broomfield will work with the community as well as work with any current operators in the city and CECMC. Staff will also utilize resources available through Colorado Higher Education Resources and research other Colorado community efforts to understand lessons they have learned. Staff has prepared a matrix that incorporates regulatory activities and outlines MOU requirements from other front range communities.

A summary of the legal issues that have been raised from the requests of concerned residents has been prepared by the City and County Attorney’s office. The City and County Attorney advises that voluntary agreements among participants are legal and that adopting drilling and operational regulations that go beyond state regulations have a relatively low probability of withstanding legal challenge.

Oil and Gas Information and Resources

Oil and gas drilling and production is a broad and complex issue. Below are a few resources that may be useful:

• Oil and gas development in Colorado is regulated primarily by the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (CECMC). Visit the CECMC website and click on the GENERAL tab located on the left side of the screen to review a list of “Typically asked Questions."
• In 2004, the EPA provided a technical study entitled Evaluation of Impacts to Underground Sources of Drinking Water by Hydraulic Fracturing of Coalbed Methane Reservoirs Study on the impacts to drinking water wells from hydraulic fracturing.
• The State of Colorado Department of Natural Resources is working with the oil and gas industry to protect wildlife and mitigate the impacts of oil and gas drilling.
• The United States Geological Society (USGS) has published information regarding the technically recoverable oil and gas resources in the Denver Basin Province entitled Gas, Oil and Water Production from Wattenberg Field in the Denver Basin, Colorado.
• The CECMC created an information page because of the public’s interest in and concern about the potential impacts of fracking on public health and the environment, including surface and ground water resources.
• The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) website provides information regarding air, water and environment waste requirements.
• Developed as a project of the University of Colorado (CU) Law School’s Getches-Wilkinson Center (formerly Natural Resources Law Center), the website on best management practices is maintained through grants to CU and its partners.