Boulder County officials have confirmed that 8 North LLC, which is a subsidiary of Extraction Oil and Gas, LLC, has filed paperwork with the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to begin the state permitting process for oil and gas development in two areas of East Boulder County.
8 North has applied for a “drilling and spacing unit order” in a 1,280-acre area between Arapahoe and Baseline Roads along East County Line Road and a 2,720-acre area between Oxford and Quail Roads also along East County Line Road.
If the State approves the drilling and spacing orders, 8 North would then have to apply to the state for a Permit to Drill that would include specific plans and proposed locations.
In addition to the state permitting process, the company must also navigate Boulder County’s local regulatory process before any development could occur. Earlier this year the County adopted new regulations after its moratorium on drilling expired.
Boulder County officials have said that the 8 North LLC has not communicated directly with the county. They added they are concerned about the proposal and are hoping to have a coordinated response from all the affected towns which are Longmont, Lafayette and the Town of Erie.
The County Commissioners last night released a statement saying the county will oppose the drilling and spacing applications when they come up for a hearing before the COGCC and they are urging concerned residents to do the same.
“We are gravely concerned by these two recent drilling and extraction proposals to develop oil and gas within unincorporated Boulder County.
We have reached out to the mayors, councils, and staff of Lafayette, Longmont, and Erie to alert them to 8 North’s unanticipated actions. We want to make sure that everyone who may be impacted by this development is aware, has the opportunity to express their concerns, and might participate in the state process.
As proposed, these operations would have significant and massive impacts on residents on the east sides of Lafayette and Longmont, around Erie, and in the unincorporated areas of east Boulder County. Additionally, impacts on county open space lands would be enormous, and would include intensive well development on the newly purchased Wheeler property along East County Line Road.
We will oppose the drilling and spacing applications when they come up for a hearing before the COGCC, and urge concerned residents to do the same. We are keeping our website up-to-date with all information we have related to oil and gas development in Boulder County.”
In addition to the 8 North proposal, last week, the Boulder County Parks and Open Space Department received letters from Crestone Peak Resources, LLC, requesting consultation on the use of four specific open space properties to locate well pads within the area of its proposed Comprehensive Drilling Plan.
Crestone is proposing approximately 126 wells on the following sites: Bailey-Kenosha Ponds; ERTL, Haley; and Wheeler open space properties.
Under state rules, Crestone is required to consult with potential surface landowners.
Updates on applications to drill for oil and gas in Boulder County are available at the county’s website.
