Fort Lupton council OKs permit for proposed oil well, drilling facility

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Fort Lupton City Council approved a special-use permit for 10 horizontally drilled oil wells and one production facility during its meeting Feb. 7.

e proposal is to use 14 acres of land near U.S. Highway 85 and Weld County Road 16. Initially, the project would need 14 acres for drilling. Once complete, the land would be reclaimed to almost four acres, some for development and some for the facility.

e vote to approve was 6-1. Councilwoman Valerie Blackston cast the “no” vote.

“I’d like to see us explore other avenues of economically developing our city,” she said. “We have had great success from the oil and gas industry. However, we have seen it’s not a completely reliable or sustainable industry in the long term. Other areas, such as agriculture, I’d like to see more of developed here.”

Kerr McGee Oil and Gas Onshore’s Matt Wells, the applicant’s regulatory advisor, said tra c from the plant would be routed away from town and onto U.S. Highway 85. e timeline is fast. Wells said pad construction start could start in June, the wells could be nished in September and the land reclaimed by May 2024.

“It takes about ve to seven days to drill one well,” Wells told the council. “ e drilling rig will stay on location until all the wells in that pad are drilled. Usually, for about a month or two, you’ll see the drill rig on location. Once the drill rig is gone, our hydraulic fracturing crews move in. ey go down and fracture the shale rock.”

Most of the microfractures won’t hold a grain of sand, Wells said.

“ e fractures that are big enough to hold a grain of sand, we put sand in those fractures to keep them open. at releases the oil and gas to come up through our well bore,” he said. “Most of the chemicals are chemicals that can be found in the house and garage.” e plan is to use non-potable water. Wells noted that hydraulic fracturing “represents 0.1 of 1 percent of all water use in the state.”

Blackston also thought the location could go toward more commercial property, even with new tankless technology and the rm’s landscaping ideas.

“Oil tanks and wells are not aesthetically appealing to any other business that may want to develop in the area,” she said. “We’ve done a great job developing the industrial commercial part of our city. I think we should now shift our focus to developing more commercial retail amenities for our citizens.”

Recreation center expansion

In other business, councilors agreed to issue bonds for the expansion of the city’s recreation center.

Voters approved a $10 million debt increase to fund the project. With interest payments and an annual payment rate of $608,000 per year over 30 years, the total repayment cost comes in at $18.2 million.

business owner investing in the kids. It’s amazing,” said Terry Adams, Boys

National Pizza day has been designated on February 9 for people to donate and deliver ten pizzas to local shelters and soup kitchens or to help any organization. To get involved, visit the link for Pizza Across America.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for Melissa Rickman, and I think it’s great for her to come here to share her skills with the kids at the Boys and Girls Club. Also, to get exposure for a local business owner that has grown from the ground up. It’s a great match to be able to have a local business help the kids,” said Brian Blemn, Boys and Girls Club Board member Community A airs

“My goal for National Pizza Day is to feed all these fantastic kids pizza and have a perfect time, so they don’t have to worry about life’s struggles about homework or anything and enjoy pizza,” said Melissa Rickman, owner of Wholly Stromboli.