This staff report analyzes and describes the “lessons learned” about Colorados oil and gas industry and the work of Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission during and after the flood of September 2013. The COGCC estimates that more than 5,900 oil and gas wells lie within 500 feet of a Colorado waterway that is substantial enough to be named. When these streams flood nearby oil and gas facilities are at risk of damage, spills, environmental injury and lost production. The flood that struck the Front Range of Colorado in September 2013 was a major disaster and emergency. Damage to the oil and gas industry was significant, but it was only a part of the story of the flood. Many oil and gas facilities located near flooded streams were damaged in the September 2013 flood. Oil, condensate and produced water spilled into the environment.
