By Dan,
posted on Friday, August 05, 2011.
Anadarko Petroleum Corp., Noble Energy Inc., Williams
Production RMT and Encana Oil & Gas
Inc. were selected this month as the Colorado Oil
and Gas Conservation Commission's (COGCC) "Outstanding
Operators for 2010" in the commission's
15th year of highlighting top
operators. The awards distinguish the oil and gas community's
accomplishments in four categories: operational areas,
environmental protection, community involvement and drilling and
completion.
"We want to highlight the leadership of companies with
exceptional conduct when it comes to protection of the public and
our environment, and in working productively with the communities
in which they operate," said COGCC Director David
Neslin in a news release. "We're
fortunate to have some of the industry's very best companies that
are setting examples nationally with their work in Colorado."
Anadarko was recognized for the strides it made in environmental
protection for its work in developing a leak-prevention program;
increasing "the reuse and recycling of hydraulic fracturing fluids"
to reduce water usage and truck traffic; and expanding the "use of
vapor recovery units that capture" volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) and reduce flash emissions. Noble Energy also received
special recognition in this category for closed-loop systems it
employed at 600 wells drilled across the state in 2010 in a move
that has eliminated reserve pits and reduced impact on the
land.
Anadarko also earned honors in the water-quality
protection category for adding remote monitoring to track fluid
levels in production tanks in an effort to improve spill prevention
and also for installing sensors in double-walled water tanks to
alert for leaks. Williams earned honors in this category for
its contractor-training program to improve spill
prevention and management practices. The program includes a
classroom phase on the impacts of spills, and a
field-study segment that enables contractors to
observe best-management practices.
Anadarko and Williams were both highlighted for
community-relations awards-Anadarko for
contributing significant volunteer hours and more than $700,000 to
a variety of organizations, which benefit the community, arts,
culture, health, education and the environment. One of its
biggest accomplishments is the more than 2,000 hours Anadarko
employees devoted to building its third Habitat for Humanity
house. Williams was recognized for working closely with the
community in the town of Parachute where it is managing a pad with
15 wells. The company's communication and emergency plans include
regular email updates to interested citizens.
Lastly, Encana got an award in the drilling and completion
category for employing the newest technology to drill more than 50
wells at a single pad site in Light Gulch, which is located near a
Parachute Creek tributary. Space limitations made the job
particularly challenging, but Encana's effort resulted in less land
disturbance and shortened the time from drilling to production by
several months.
We appreciate COGCC's recognition of the commitments and steps
our member companies and their dedicated employees are taking to
ensure the safe and responsible development of America's abundant
natural gas. ANGA member companies will continue to strive to
be good neighbors in the communities in which they live and operate
throughout Colorado and across the country.