greeleyschools.org
A Colorado oil and gas company has announced a plan to mitigate, reduce, and eliminate noise, light, and other impacts of operations around a Northern Colorado school by shifting 80 percent of drilling and other activities outside of school hours, according to a statement.
Extraction Oil & Gas will reduce drilling and completion efforts at its Vetting site located just east of Greeley, Colo., to mitigate any disruption at nearby Bella Romero Academy.
“This operational timeline at Vetting is something that we wanted to do as good citizens and we feel it is in the best interest of the community,” said Extraction President Matt Owens.
Extraction said the 24 well site is a “state-of-the-art” facility that will use “thoughtful timing and use of cutting edge technology” to limit inconveniences for its neighbors.
“Extraction has been an invested partner in this community, bringing high-paying jobs and critical tax revenue to help fund our schools, roads and local infrastructure,” said Weld County Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer in a statement. “This is just one more example of Extraction going above and beyond to be a good neighbor. They care about their neighborhood and are working to accommodate their neighbors’ needs.”
The company received permission to drill at the site in 2016, and since then had engaged with local stakeholders and school officials to create a final plan that takes into account school hours at Bella Romero Academy. Extraction’s aim will be to reduce truck traffic and minimize noise during the year’s remaining school session and ramp up operations during summer break to minimize disruption.
Greeley-Evans Superintendent Dr. Deirdre Pilch applauded Extraction’s outreach.
“We have been working with Extraction for more than two years to mitigate the impact of this well site on Bella Romero Academy,” said Pilch, Superintendent of Greeley-Evans School District 6. “Extraction continues to be willing to work with us to limit the impact this site will have on the school, and we appreciate their ongoing communication and consideration of our students and staff at the school.”
“This is a step in the right direction and we appreciate Extraction’s continued cooperation with District 6,” Pilch said.
Extraction is using an all-electric drilling rig along with other sound mitigation technology and adaptations that will also increase safety. In addition, the site will make use of pipeline infrastructure that will replace some of the truck traffic concerns in the area.
“Our Vetting site was originally chosen because we are able to get oil pipeline to the location, which greatly reduces truck traffic in the community and anytime we can use pipelines to eliminate or minimize traffic, we try to do so,” said Blane Thingelstad, regulatory manager for Extraction Oil & Gas.
The well pad will be located more than a quarter mile from the school buildings, which is more than the state requirement of 1,000 feet.
Extraction said the priority is about finding a balance between responsible oil and gas development and responding to the concerns and impacts on the company’s neighbors.
“Ultimately, this project strikes the right balance by minimizing impacts while still responsibly developing vital oil and natural gas resources and providing energy and jobs to the community and Colorado,” Owens said.
