Every year since 2022, Earthworks has consistently documented harmful pollution in more than a quarter of surveys conducted from hundreds of oil & gas facilities in Colorado.
In 2024, Earthworks conducted 475 surveys with an optical gas imaging (OGI) camera at 273 oil and gas facilities in Colorado. Surveys included well sites, compressor stations, storage facilities, waste disposal facilities, and gas plants.
We observed methane and ozone-forming pollution during 119 of those surveys at 85 separate facilities due to venting, inefficient combustion, malfunctioning or leaking equipment, and pre-production activities like drilling and fracking.
Overall, we documented the release of harmful pollutants during a quarter of our surveys and at close to a third of the facilities we surveyed, which is in line with both our 2022 and 2023 survey findings.
Current regulations prohibit pollution from leaks and malfunctions, some equipment, and certain activities. However, pollution from equipment like flares and from activities involving maintenance or fracking is not directly prohibited. We only share our observations of pollution with the Air Pollution Control Division (APCD) when these observations indicate:
- A potential regulatory compliance issue
- A possible equipment malfunction or leak
- And/or warrant further investigation
In 2024, we shared 63 of our 119 observations of pollution with APCD and 3 with the Energy and Carbon Management Commission. Like in years past the majority of these observations consisted of pollution from equipment where combustion occurs, such as flares and compressors, or pollution from storage tanks.
Uncontrolled pollution from storage tanks that was allowed because the site was shut-in and not producing.
For the first time, the majority of pollution events Earthworks shared with regulators resulted in operators reporting repairs and/or on-the-ground inspections by regulatory staff.
Similar to 2022 and 2023, a third of the observations of pollution we shared with regulators (23 of 66) resulted in operators conducting their own inspections and reporting the discovery of leaks or malfunctions that needed to be repaired. In five of these cases, the operator’s inspection and reported repair was corroborated by an on-the-ground inspection by regulatory staff.
More encouragingly, and representing a significant improvement over past years, an additional 15 observations resulted in regulatory staff visiting the site in question and conducting their own on-the-ground inspection even when the operator was unable to identify any issues. None of these inspections resulted in regulatory staff themselves identifying compliance issues. However, these inspections provide assurance that potential issues are actually being investigated by both operators and the state.
This means that more than half of our observations (38 of 66) resulted in issues being fixed and/or state regulators conducting an onsite inspection in addition to the inspection conducted by the operator themselves – the first time we have observed this trend in our annual reporting.
Pollution from fracking engines during pre production activities. Pollution from these sources is not directly regulated so this observation was not shared with regulators.
Signs of Progress but Challenges Remain
For years, we have advocated that strong rules need to be backed up by strong enforcement. Regulatory agencies tasked with enforcing rules cannot operate on a presumption that operators follow the rules; they must demonstrate that this is indeed the reality on the ground. To do this, regulators actually have to show up on the ground and in communities.
We are encouraged by the signs of progress we see in terms of regulatory staff from APCD conducting more onsite inspections in response to concerns. Not every observation or community concern warrants the same response, but the more that regulatory agencies prioritize having a physical presence in communities impacted by oil and gas, the more community members can be assured – and the industry can be reminded – that these polluting facilities are subject to regulatory oversight.
We look forward to tracking continued progress on this front, particularly in disproportionately impacted communities where APCD has made additional commitments to enhanced enforcement of air quality rules.
Oil and gas well located in a community park and next to a playground near Denver.
In 2024, we also celebrated significant wins including:
A major source of pollution being cleaned up after years of community pressure.
And a community campaign resulting in an operator backing away from a planned facility expansion.
These wins collectively represent the power of community evidence and advocacy in achieving a cleaner, healthier Colorado.
All of that said, challenges remain. There are still numerous sources of pollution and polluting activities at oil and gas facilities that are not subject to strict regulation, as evidenced by the 53 observations from 2024 we did not share with regulatory staff. And, in many communities across Colorado, the industry still enjoys a dominant position in setting the narrative on the ground, whether that means dismissing concerns of impacted community members or dismissing video evidence of polluting activities.
So, there is a lot of work left to be done. But Coloradans who have been advocating for years for industry accountability, clean air, and safe communities are having a meaningful impact.