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Home My WebLink About2.0 PC Staff Report and Exhibits 04.08.2015Hydraulic Fracturing, Remote Surface Locations Planning Commission April 8, 2015 Background Applicant: Board of County Commissioners December 2014 -request for clarification on definition of hydraulic fracturing, remote surface location February 2015 –BOCC provided direction that open pits and ponds for hydraulic fracturing should be considered as “materials” incidental to remote surface locations February 2015 –BOCC initiated text amendment process to revise definition Text Amendment –Article 15 Hydraulic Fracturing, Remote Surface Location. A COGCC-approved surface location used for staging materials and equipment (including storage of water in open pits and tanks) to pump hydraulic fracturing fluid to 1 or more COGCC- approved well locations for the purpose of advancing the wellbore and increasing the productivity of the well through hydraulic fracturing as part of the well completion activity. Water Storage related to Hydraulic Fracturing FRACK TANKS OPEN PIT/POND Should both open air water pits/ponds and tanks considered part of the Exempt use? Description of Remote Frack Locations: Hydraulic fracturing was an essential part of the advancement of the borehole and allowing the wells produce economically in tight sand formations; facilities are temporary and not in continuous use; facilities held between 30-60 tanks that were bermed; Fluid (recycled and fresh) was moved through surface flow lines to the well pads; facilities minimized new disturbances; the tanks would be removed and the site reclaimed underscoring the “temporary” nature of the use; facilities reduced impacts including, traffic and odor, etc; facilities could be up to 2 miles away from the wellhead; facilities were permitted through a COGCC Form 2a; and remote facilities enable the overall footprint of well pads to be reduced. Pits/Ponds may operate differently: May be on-site for multiple years Locations can hold significant amounts of produced water eg. 90,000+; Fluid (recycled and fresh) may be moved through surface and subsurface flow lines to the well pads Locations may be new disturbances; Reclamation would occur when ponds are retired; Locations may be permitted through other COGCC forms (eg. Form 15 and Form 28) Size & Scale 360 ft x 160 ft ~390 ft x 130 ft 2014: Odor related issues are 31% of all Complaints 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Dumping 0 0 1 1 1 0 3 0 1 2 0 0 Dust 3 10 5 5 3 12 6 2 6 0 0 0 Flaring 0 3 1 3 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 Haul Route 7 1 6 0 0 1 2 3 5 7 0 6 Info Request* Only a fraction are entered into the database 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 12 Misc 6 6 8 1 3 5 2 3 6 3 1 Lights 5 6 4 1 1 1 2 3 3 3 0 0 Noise 8 10 2 7 4 4 5 7 7 2 5 9 Odor 12 14 16 36 46 53 19 39 7 44 25 16 Pollution 2 7 2 4 5 3 3 2 5 4 0 0 Road Damage 6 15 2 1 2 2 3 1 0 0 2 1 Royalty 5 3 0 1 0 3 1 0 1 0 1 4 Safety 9 9 9 6 3 3 3 1 0 Spill 3 7 4 5 7 4 4 4 1 0 4 Water 4 17 4 1 5 4 4 1 0 2 Traffic 5 6 6 0 3 19 6 2 1 2 5 8 Total 75 114 70 72 86 114 64 66 45 68 45 63 Complaints Database Totals 2003-2014 Open pits and ponds Frack Pond –Not Reviewed Water Impoundment –Permitted 2014 Open Pits and Ponds Water Impoundment -Reviewed 2014 Marathon 32-C Frack Pond –Not Reviewed Open Pits and Ponds Water Impoundments –Permitted 2014 Oxy Pond 10 Fracking Ponds –Not Reviewed 1.17 acres .96 acres ~ 1.25 acres ~ 0.8 acres Open Pits and Ponds Water Impoundment –Reviewed 2005 Encana Lake Fox Facility Frack Pond –Not Reviewed Water Impoundment or Remote Frack Location? Water Impoundment -Reviewed 2013 Oxy Pond G Frack Pond –Not Reviewed Water Impoundment Article 15, Definition Confined water such as surface pits or ponds, wastewater treatment settling ponds, surface mining ponds, detention and retention ponds, artificial lakes and ponds (not related to agriculture), and produced water and condensate tanks.Water impoundment excludes tanks with a total tank volume of 5,000 barrels or fewer used exclusively for activities associated with Oil and Gas Drilling and Production, and Injection Wells. Section 4-114 Criteria The criteria for approval of a Land Use Code Text Amendment are as follows: 1. The proposed text amendment is in compliance with any applicable intergovernmental agreements; and There are no intergovernmental agreements impacted by the proposed text amendment. 2. The proposed text amendment does not conflict with State law. The proposed text amendment does not conflict with State law. COGCC’s rules and regulations require that any E&P waste facility (eg. An open water pond associated with remote hydraulic fracturing that is developed for a period greater than 3 years) be approved by the Local Government prior to a COGCC permit being issued. Text Amendment –Article 15 Hydraulic Fracturing, Remote Surface Location. A COGCC-approved surface location used for staging materials and equipment (including storage of water in open pits and tanks) to pump hydraulic fracturing fluid to 1 or more COGCC- approved well locations for the purpose of advancing the wellbore and increasing the productivity of the well through hydraulic fracturing as part of the well completion activity.