​Sweeping legislative and regulatory changes between 2018 and 2022 have added almost $500 million in new, annual costs to doing business in Colorado for oil and natural gas companies.  

​The total and individual amounts are taken from state cost-benefit analyses. They do not include new operational costs for which no analysis was conducted, and it does not account for rule changes where no associated economic analysis or cost-benefit analysis were performed. With that in mind, the total is a conservative number with additional, annual operational costs potentially being much higher.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), “U.S. emissions are now down almost 1 Gt from their peak in the year 2000, the largest absolute decline by any country over that period.” Part of that is due to fuel switching to natural gas, which is a low-carbon fuel. And, according to the EPA, methane emissions are being reduced while production increases. Here in Colorado, industry is making significant strides. 

Published: 10/4/2019

The State of Colorado is a national leader in its commitment to fostering safe and responsible development of Colorado’s oil and gas resources. Over the past nine years Colorado has implemented precedent-setting regulations from baseline groundwater testing and monitoring to air regulations targeting methane leak detection and repair. 

Colorado’s oil and natural gas industry is one of the state’s largest taxpayers.  It also adheres to a system that is unlike any other energy tax framework in the country, making state-to-state comparisons incredibly difficult, if not impossible.  

Corporate and social responsibility is not a new concept, but oil and natural gas companies are working hard to impact every corner of the state and foster positive societal and community investment.  

​Oil and natural gas are an integral part of our everyday lives, and it’s not only the gasoline we put in our cars or the natural gas that heats our homes or businesses. Oil and natural gas are used in everyday products such as lipstick and deodorant and life-saving medical devices, such as MRI machines and pacemakers.

​Oil and natural gas pairs well with renewable energy. In fact, many oil and natural gas companies invest in, buy, or have joint ventures in solar, wind, and other renewable fuels. Why? Because the industry believes in an all-the-above strategy for effective energy production.