
Drilling rig set up in an alfalfa field east of the Rocky Mountains in central Colorado. (Source: Shutterstock.com)
Adams County on Sept. 3 became the first in Colorado to adopt new oil and gas regulations since the state passed a law that bolstered local control over fossil fuel development.
New oil and gas development must not occur closer than 1,000 ft from occupied buildings and residences, double the current limit, commissioners ruled unanimously on Sept. 3. Operators can request exemptions, which would require a public hearing.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, in April signed Senate Bill 181 into law, allowing communities greater control over oil and gas activities. The law also placed a priority on public safety over oil and gas development.
RELATED:
“Colorado Oil And Gas: Battleground State” featured in the April 2019 issue of Oil and Gas Investor
The Colorado Oil and Gas Association (COGA) called Adams County's new regulations "unreasonable" and said they would hurt the more than 5,000 families there that depend on oil and gas development.
Last year the county, which is northeast of Denver, produced 3.6 million barrels of oil, about 2.23% of the 157.8 million barrels produced in nearby Weld County, according to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC).
Privately owned Great Western Petroleum LLC is the largest producer in Adams County, with output totaling 1.28 million barrels of oil for the first five months of this year.
Extraction Oil and Gas Inc., Petroshare Corp. and Burlington Resources Oil and Gas Co. LP, a subsidiary of ConocoPhillips Co., are also leading producers in the county, according to COGCC data.
Recommended Reading
Fermi in Talks to Build Nuclear Plants in Texas for Hyperscalers
2025-07-08 - Fermi, co-founded by a former U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry, is looking to build four nuclear plants that would supply power to hyperscalers.
Canada Deep Dive: Spartan Sees 1,220 boe/d Duvernay IPs
2025-07-08 - Calgary’s Spartan Delta Corp. is seeing strong oil and liquids output from new horizontals landed in the Duvernay Shale in Alberta. One new Duvernay well produced 1,470 boe/d (86% liquids) over 20 days, including 1,202 bbl/d of oil.
Governor: In Wyoming, Sky’s the Limit for Oil, Gas, Nuclear
2025-07-08 - Wyoming may be the smallest U.S. state by population, but it’s aiming for a giant role in America’s energy future. From oil and gas to nuclear, it’s all on the table, Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon told Hart Energy in an exclusive interview.
Forget Type Curves: Novi’s AI Offers Window into Undrilled Wells
2025-07-08 - After raising $35 million from Invictus, energy-focused AI developer Novi Labs expects to launch its unique machine learning platform into other energy sectors outside of oil and gas— and possibly buy a company or two while it’s at it.
E&P Highlights: July 7, 2025
2025-07-08 - Here’s a roundup of the latest E&P headlines, including a natural gas discovery offshore by Exxon Mobil.