CPX well pad application approved

Paves way for 32 natural gas wells to be drilled south of Rifle

PRESS RELEASE
August 24, 2023

Garfield County has approved a permit for as many as 32 directional natural gas wells on a 5.45-acre property roughly 12 miles south of Rifle off U.S. Forest Service Road 824. CPX Piceance Holdings, LLC’s Tepee Park Ranch (TPR) well pad 36A is located on a private parcel of land with an existing oil and gas infrastructure.

The existing well pad was constructed in 2008, and a limited impact review of the proposal noted that CPX conducted an alternative location analysis of four other sites for the project and determined that developing 36A would pose the least detrimental impacts to human health and the environment.

“After the wells are drilled, completed, and placed into production, the pad will be interim reclaimed down to 1.34 acres of disturbance,” the proposal notes.

Jessica Donahue, a consultant for the county and permitting and compliance specialist with Ardor Environmental, told the board that completion of all the wells will take 32 weeks and the Garfield County Community Development staff’s recommendation is approval with conditions, including remaining compliant with all local, federal, and state regulations.

“The production phase will be for the life of the wells, which is approximately 30 years,” she said.

The board of county commissioners approved the permit with conditions unanimously, 2-0, with Commissioner Mike Samson not present due to prior commitments.