Oil and Gas Well Operators in Weld County Impacted by New Colorado Rule

Weld County in Colorado produces a majority of all the oil in the state as well as over half of the natural gas for Colorado. Hence, Weld County will be going through the most changes that the state wants.

New Colorado Rule Regarding Methane Emissions Affects Weld Operators

With Weld County having over 15,000 active wells, getting them all to comply with the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission's new rules will take time and money; but in the end, the amount of methane in the Colorado air will be greatly reduced.

According to the Longmont Leader, the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission enacted new regulations on February 21, 2025, to totally eliminate the use of high-bleed pneumatic controllers by 2027 and instead use zero-emission controllers.

What is a High-Bleed Pneumatic Controller?

A high-bleed pneumatic controller is a device powered by natural gas to operate valves involved in well operation. The trouble with using those controllers is that they continuously vent that natural gas into the air while the well is operating.

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While the Federal government wants these controllers to be fully eliminated by 2029, the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission has set Colorado's deadline at 2027. Operators will need to have cut the amount of high-bleed pneumatic controllers in half by 2026.

What Are the 'Zero Emission' Options for Well Operators?

• Compressed air systems.
• Electric actuators.
• Mechanical controllers.

The cost to convert a well from using a high-bleed pneumatic controller to a zero-emission process can run about $3,000.