WELD COUNTY: COLORADO’S MOST FRACKED COMMUNITY
LONG HISTORY OF FRACKING AND ACCIDENTS IN WELD COUNTY:
HOW WE GOT HERE:
- 1920’s: oil was discovered bubbling to the surface in Weld County and soon multiple investors leased about 1 million acres of land for drilling and production of crude oil
- 1933: production from most wells dramatically decreased and most derricks and infrastructure were removed
- 1970’s: the Wattenberg Oil Field was discovered centered on Weld County and was estimated to be the 4th largest oil field and the 9th largest gas field in the United States
- 1980’s: hundreds of vertical hydraulic fracturing wells were drilled to remove O&G from 7000-8500 feet down
- 2010’s: operators started drilling and fracking horizontal well bores leading to a huge expansion in the amount of oil and gas produced – along with a dramatic increase in explosions, spills, poor air quality and health problems
- As of 2025: Weld County is responsible for 83% of all crude oil extraction and 56% of all gas produced in Colorado. Oil and gas operations in Weld County are also largely responsible for Colorado’s poor air quality and detrimental impacts on human health
Here’s The Latest:
- In the last 10 years: Weld County has had between 15,767 and 23,028 active wells operating continuously
- Ongoing: hundreds of new fracking wells are permitted each year and hundreds of new wells are drilled each year
- Numerous leaks, toxic air pollution spikes explosions and fires have occurred in Weld County. Here are the worst recent ones:
- 2014: fracking fluid line ruptured, exploded, killed one worker and injured 2 others
- 2014: train derailment causes 6 oil tanker train cars to spill and leak crude oil
- 2015: lightning strike caused explosions, oil fires and launched a storage tank into the air, forcing evacuations of nearby residents
- 2017: severed flow line from gas well in Firestone killed 2 civilians when their home exploded
- 2017: fire broke out at storage tank for fracking well, 1 worker seriously burned, homes evacuated
- 2017: oil tank explosion and fire killed 1 worker and burned 3 others
- 2017: oil and gas storage tanks exploded and fire burned at same site as previous explosion
- 2017: one worker was injured in an explosion and fire at oil well, fire raged for hours
- 2018: lightning strike caused explosions and a fire, which spread to 6 more oil storage tanks
- 2020: minority students at Bella Romero school were exposed to toxic levels of carcinogenic benzene from fracking wells 1200 feet away
- 2025: well blowout spews oil and toxic fracking chemicals for 5 days, contaminating homes, a school, creeks and farmland – for miles in each direction. Residents evacuated for weeks, 1 worker injured, cleanup estimated to take 5 years.
- 2025: pipeline leak near school bus stop near Fort Lupton releases benzene and methane
Take Action:
Contact local government:
File a complaint:
Share your concerns about current oil and gas activity with Colorado State O&G Regulators (ECMC) and Weld County. File a complaint about noise, smells, lights, operating hours, truck traffic, dust, vibrations, health issues etc.
LEARN MORE ABOUT FRACKING:
Learn how fracking works, understand the terms, watch informative webinars. See how oil and gas operations impact air quality and communities’ heath & safety – even at great distances from well sites. Get informed about effects on our economy, home values, and environment.
AMPLIFY YOUR VOICE:
Writing a letter to the editor (LTE) of your local newspaper helps educate your neighbors… puts pressure on your elected officials… makes a bigger difference! Use our LTE Toolkit below for talking points, writing tips, submission guidelines etc. Then contact us if you want help proofreading your letter.
“Today it’s my neighborhood, but tomorrow it’s yours”
– Laura L
WELD COUNTY IN THE NEWS:
Chevron Agrees To $1.53 Million Fine for Bishop Blowout
This week, the ECMC announced an agreement for a $1,534,500 fine for the blowout incident at the Bishop A07 pad in Galeton.
Colorado Rising Calls for Increased Protections for Schools
Groundswell Citizen Response to Colorado Rising’s Call To Action On Fracking Near Schools In November, Colorado Rising sent an action
Pipeline Leak Near School Bus Stop in Weld County Releases Benzene and Methane
HOW LONG HAD GAS BEEN LEAKING? A pipeline carrying natural gas from fracking operations has been found to be leaking
“Air pollution near drilling and fracking operations is high enough in some Colorado communities to raise cancer risks, according to a 2018 study. A 2021 study found that the fracking boom in northeastern Colorado was a significant source of toxic and smog-making air pollutants, including benzene and toluene.”
From the summary: Compendium of the Risks and Harms of Fracking and Associated Gas and Oil Infrastructure (Ninth Edition October 2023, by Concerned Health Professionals of NY and Physicians for Social Responsibility)
Learn More about Colorado Rising's Work Across the State
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