Increased Reporting Oil And Gas Incidents

Section 1 of the bill requires oil and gas operators to file written reports with the Colorado oil and gas conservation commission and other affected stakeholders for each major and minor 'reportable event'. Operators must also give oral notice of major reportable events.

A 'major reportable event' includes an incident involving:

• The unauthorized release of more than 25 barrels of oil, produced water, oilfield chemicals, or exploration and production waste; and
• The unauthorized flaring, venting, or wasting of:
• More than 500,000 cubic feet of gas at any drilling or producing well site or at any injection or disposal facility; or
• More than 1,500,000 cubic feet of gas at any transportation, gathering, or processing facility;
• A fire that consumes at least these volumes of liquid or gas;
• A spill, venting, or fire, regardless of the volume involved, that occurs within 500 feet of:
• A sensitive area, as that term is defined by rule; or
• A park, recreation site, wildlife refuge, lake, reservoir, stream, or urban or suburban area;
• An accident that involves a fatal injury;
• A blowout or loss of control of a well; and
• An uncontrolled release of gas containing 100 or more parts per million of hydrogen sulfide.

A 'minor reportable event' includes an incident involving:

• The unauthorized release of more than 5 barrels and up to 25 barrels of oil, produced water, oilfield chemicals, or exploration and production waste;
• The unauthorized flaring, venting, or wasting of more than 50,000 cubic feet and up to 500,000 cubic feet of gas at a drilling or producing well site or at an injection or disposal facility;
• The unauthorized venting or wasting of more than 50,000 cubic feet and up to 1,500,000 cubic feet of gas at a transportation, gathering, or processing facility;
• Any uncontrolled fire or explosion; and
• An accident involving serious bodily injury.

The commission will post the reports, notifications, and an annual summary on its website in a database that is searchable by operator, location, type of event, date, and other criteria established by the commission.

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)