Draco Pad

Overview & Location

Extraction Oil & Gas, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Civitas Resources, Inc., received an approved 1041 WOGLA23-0062 from Weld County Oil & Gas Energy Department for the Draco Pad development. Draco is proposed to be located in the SE4 of Section 21, Township 1 North, Range 68 West, with the intent of accessing minerals Section 19 and 30, of Township 1 North, Range 68 West and in Sections 23, 24, 25, and 26 of 1 North 69 West

Click here to see responses to common community questions.

Location History

Extraction Oil & Gas, Inc. (Extraction) evaluated 4 alternative locations along with the proposed location. Additionally, Extraction reviewed areas within Boulder County and the Town of Erie and determined that there were no feasible locations that were allowed by local regulations. Extraction ultimately chose the proposed location because it is protective of health and safety, located in a manner to minimize potential nuisances and other impacts to nearby receptors and residents, was clear of any wildlife or environmental concerns.

The proposed location is zoned Agricultural and designated as a LZ-1, recommended default zone for rural low density residential areas, and would have pipeline takeaway for produced water, oil, and natural gas in place. Lastly, the Draco Pad is proximal to existing oil and gas infrastructure with an efficient traffic routing plan and electrical infrastructure that supports the drilling and production phases.  As part of the project, 22 legacy vertical wells will be eliminated along with the associated production equipment leading to final reclamation and restoration of sites throughout the community.

Regulatory Permitting Status

Colorado Energy & Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) Oil and Gas Development Plan Process

  • Extraction Oil and Gas has submitted all required forms, exhibits, and plans to the ECMC. 
  • Extraction Oil & Gas, Inc's Draco OGDP will be heard before the commission on November 13, 2024. Please visit the following link if you would like to sign up for public comment: https://ecmc.state.co.us/hearings.html#/hearings
  • Link to the public comment information pamphlet: Info Sheet_303.e.(2).D Public Comment_20210309.pdf (state.co.us)
  • The ECMC hosted a Public Hearing on October 29, 2024 that provided community members an opportunity to address the commissioners directly.
  • The Draco Development OGDP is scheduled to be heard at the regular ECMC hearing on November 13, 2024. 
Contact Information: 
1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 801
Denver, CO 80203
Phone: (303)894-2100

Weld County 1041 WOGLA Permit Process

Extraction Oil and Gas has received approval from of the 1041WOGLA application from Weld County.

Contact Information: 
Weld County Oil and Gas Development Department
1402 N 17th Ave
Greeley, CO 80631
Phone: (970)400-3580

 

Current & Future Plans

 

Civitas permits were reviewed during the first & forth quarter of 2024. Upon approval of all the necessary permits, construction of the pad would begin during 3rd quarter of 2025 and is expected to take roughly 2 months. Drilling would commence shortly after and may take up to 8 months depending on the number of electric drilling rigs utilized. Once drilling is completed, crews will fracture the wells, another approximate 5 month process that is expected to be completed by summer 2026.

Wells will be completed and prepped for production through 2026, and after a short period of well cleanup,  production will begin around the fall of 2026.

Well Sticks

Screenshot 2024-11-12 at 11.19.13 AM

Anticipated Timeline

The following timeline intends to inform the sequence and timing of upcoming operations on the Draco Pad. We anticipate a 12-month cycle time from drilling to production. These different stages of the timeline adhere to best-in-class operations and mitigation practices, which are outlined in the timeline details. 

Pad Construction March 2025 

Construction of the pad will begin in March 2025. This process will include construction of sound walls to minimize disturbance to the surrounding area. The process of constructing the pad and the sound walls is expected to be completed by March 2025.

tab 1

Note: The times provided are estimates and are subject to local authorization. We will keep you informed of any significant changes to our plans.

22 legacy vertical wells will be eliminated along with the associated production equipment leading to final reclamation and restoration of sites throughout the community.

22

Wells to be Plugged & Abandoned

18

Existing Locations to be decommissioned and reclaimed

11.8

Total acres to be reclaimed

24

Oil tanks removed

13

Produced Water tanks removed

2652

Number of ANNUAL vehicle trips that will be eliminated due reclamation

4.86

VOC Emissions Reduction (tons/year)

17

Locations w/in 2000' of an RBU

14

Locations w/in 2000' of 10+ RBUs

6

Locations w/in 2000' of School Property

Air Quality – Air Monitoring

Civitas is committed to responsible oil and natural gas production and to finding solutions, making investments, and adopting new technologies to safeguard public health, the environment and quality of life for all Coloradans. As part of this commitment, we are adopting new technology to improve air quality. This includes:

  • Deploying real-time, continuous air quality monitors.
  • Using a vent-free, fully-enclosed flowback process to capture temporary natural gas emissions coming from a well before it goes into production and directing this gas to a pipeline to be transported offsite, rather than vented or flared, reducing any potential impact on air quality.

In 2017, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) published its review of over 10,000 air measurements of over 50 different oil and gas related volatile organic compounds (VOCS), collected between 350 and 3,700 feet from well pads during different operational phases, and also conducted a review of hundreds of studies looking at associations between oil and gas and health effects. Subsequently, it has collected over 30,000 community air measurements near well pads. The analysis of these tens of thousands of air measurements showed all remain within health guidelines.

Ground Water Protection

The protection of water resources in relation to oil and natural gas development has been studied extensively for decades and is actively regulated by environmental officials at all levels of government. All Civitas projects meet and/or exceed water standards set by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC). Civitas operates at the highest standards to protect water quality in Arapahoe County and the rest of its operating area.

Prior to drilling, the company measures water tables to monitor impact, then uses a protective casing and cement around wells past the water table. Monitoring wells are tested on a prescribed cycle to ensure local freshwater resources are protected. Water quality is tested prior to drilling to establish a baseline, and monthly testing continues throughout the drilling and completion phase. Finally, Civitas conducts a test six months after production as a last method of verification to ensure the integrity of its operating assets.

The company reduces water use through numerous efforts, including the use of tanks and temporary collapsible water pipelines to minimize unnecessary water evaporation. At sites where water collection infrastructure systems are available, Civitas reverses piped water disposal systems to enable water reuse. When water is disposed, Civitas uses saltwater disposal (SWD) wells provided by a third party.

Consistent with regulatory requirements and industry best practice, Civitas discloses its hydraulic fracturing fluid ingredients at FracFocus.org.

Any Questions?

Please do not hesitate to contact us with questions about this proposed development. You can reach us via email at DracoPad@civiresources.com, by phone 720-279-9842 or by using the below contact form.