The following spills were reported to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission in the past two weeks.
Information is based on Form 19, which operators must fill out detailing the leakage/spill events. Any spill release that may impact waters of the state must be reported as soon as practical. Any spill of five barrels or more must be reported within 24 hours, and any spill of one barrel or more, which occurs outside secondary containment, such as metal or earthen berms, must also be reported within 24 hours, according to COGCC rules. Spills and leaks typically are found during routine maintenance on existing wells, though some actual “spills” do occur among the 24,000-plus wells in the county.
» CRESTONE PEAK RESOURCES OPERATING LLC reported Jan. 20 a tank battery spill north of WCR 24 and east of WCR 17, about 3.9 miles northeast of Firestone. Surfacing of produced water evident at the surface leg of the produced water side of the separator. It’s believed that all contamination is confined within secondary containment.
» NOBLE ENERGY INC reported Jan. 20 a tank battery spill about 4.3 miles northeast of Kersey. Between 5 and 100 barrels of oil was spilled during operations when a site glass cracked on a separator causing an unintentional release of crude oil. The location was shut in and clean-up activities were initiated to remove standing liquids and impacted soil.
» KERR MCGEE GATHERING LLC reported Jan. 20 a gas processing plant spill south of WCR 22 and between WCRs 31 and 37 about 5 miles northeast of Fort Lupton. About 3 barrels of E&P exempt amine/water were released outside of containment at Western Midstream’s Lancaster Gas plant. The cause of the release is being investigated. No liquids have migrated off location.
» KERR MCGEE OIL & GAS ONSHORE LP reported Jan. 20 a historical tank battery release between WCRs 31 and 33 between WCRs 36 and 38, about 2 miles southeast of Gilcrest. On Dec. 29, 2020, historical impacts were discovered below the dump lines during abandonment activities at the Webber UPRR 32-3 #2 production facility. The release became state reportable on Jan. 19, due to the quantity of impacted soil excavated. Approximately 310 cubic yards of impacted material were removed. An unknown amount of oil, condensate and produced water, less than five barrels, was spilled.
» KERR MCGEE OIL & GAS ONSHORE LP reported Jan. 22 a historical flowline release north of WCR 28 and west of WCR 31, about 2.5 miles southeast of Platteville. On Nov. 25, 2020, historical impacts were discovered during abandonment activities at a flowline. The release became state reportable on Jan. 21, due to the quantity of impacted soil excavated. An unknown amount of oil, condensate and produced water less than five barrels spilled.
» KERR MCGEE OIL & GAS ONSHORE LP reported Jan. 20 a historical tank battery release south of WCR 28 and east of WCR 33, about 4.4 miles southeast of Platteville. On Dec. 21, 2020, historical impacts were discovered beneath the partially buried produced water vessel during abandonment activities. The release became state reportable Jan. 15, due to the quantity of impacted soil excavated. On Dec. 21, 2020, groundwater was encountered within the excavation area at approximated 4 feet below ground surface. Groundwater was not observed during subsequent excavation activities.
» WHITING OIL & GAS CORPORATION reported Jan. 22 a tank battery spill in Pawnee National Grassland about 17 miles north northeast of Raymer. A suspected subsurface natural gas leak was detected. The cause of the release is currently under investigation. There was no threat to waters of the state, public water systems, residences of occupied structures, livestock, wildlife, air quality or publicly maintained lands.
» WHITING OIL & GAS CORPORATION reported Jan. 25 a off-location flowline spill in Pawnee National Grassland about 10 miles north of Raymer. Approximately 3 barrels of crude oil was released on a buried off-location flowline. The cause of the release is currently under investigation. The line was immediately isolated, and a crew was dispatched to recover free liquids.
» BONANZA CREEK OPERATING COMPANY LLC reported Jan. 25 a flowline system spill north of State Highway 34 and the South Platte River about 10.75 miles east southeast of Kersey. A currently unknown volume of produced water was released from a separator dumpline. The release day lighted on the pad surface and the operator immediately shut in the line.
