Completions operations at the Interchange B pad are currently underway by Extraction.
Completions operations at the Interchange B pad are currently underway by Extraction. The engines running the hydraulic fracturing pumps are Tier 2 dual fuel (natural gas and diesel). Residents can expect to see intermittent diesel exhaust while the engines are primarily using diesel fuel.
Extraction’s completions contractor, Liberty Oilfield Services, is using up to fourteen Tier 2 fracturing pumps to conduct the hydraulic fracturing operations. These pumps initially use diesel and supplement with natural gas at higher revolutions per minute and engine load.
The black smoke that may be seen is diesel exhaust resulting from increasing engine rate or power and engine load. As more pumps are brought online more exhaust is visible. Pumps are brought up to the necessary operating rate individually and will release exhaust until the desired rate is achieved. At that time these pumps begin to use natural gas as the primary fuel with diesel as a supplement, which results in a less visible exhaust.
The City and County of Broomfield continues to closely monitor air quality in the area as well as perform site inspections at the Interchange B pad.