{"id":794,"date":"2025-07-23T17:14:47","date_gmt":"2025-07-23T17:14:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.agencywebdesigners.com\/?p=794"},"modified":"2025-07-24T14:24:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T14:24:15","slug":"colorado-issues-notices-to-companies-in-falsified-data-case-over-cleanup-of-404-oil-and-gas-sites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.agencywebdesigners.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/23\/colorado-issues-notices-to-companies-in-falsified-data-case-over-cleanup-of-404-oil-and-gas-sites\/","title":{"rendered":"Colorado issues notices to companies in falsified data case over cleanup of 404 oil and gas sites"},"content":{"rendered":"

State regulators took the first enforcement actions against some of Colorado\u2019s largest oil and gas operators as part of an ongoing investigation into reports of environmental consultants\u2019 falsification of data<\/a> on the cleanup of 404 sites in Weld County.<\/p>\n

The Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission,<\/a> or ECMC, which regulates the oil and gas industry, said Wednesday that it issued what\u2019s called notices of alleged violations to seven companies. The companies have 28 days to file a response and hearings will be held.<\/p>\n

The ECMC announced in November 2024<\/a> that it was looking into reports that two Denver-area environmental consultants hired by Colorado oil and gas operators had submitted false data on tests of soil, groundwater and contamination at hundreds of locations in Weld County. The results are intended to show whether work to clean up spills and waste meet state standards.<\/p>\n

The information stretched from 2021 to 2024 and was submitted on behalf of oil and gas companies. The ECMC has said it started investigating when operators notified the state of potential problems<\/p>\n

ECMC staffers said Wednesday that the manipulated data ranged from wrong signatures to incorrect dates to results falsely showing that chemicals were below levels considered harmful. In a case the staff called an extreme example, levels of benzene, a component of crude oil known to cause cancer, was actually over the threshold considered safe by an order of three times. The benzene was in the ground, not the air.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis remains a disheartening and heavy subject and as you will hear, our investigation has revealed further issues than were initially reported to us,\u201d ECMC Director Julie Murphy told commission members during a hearing.<\/p>\n

The investigation continues and it is taking time to determine what information submitted to the state is accurate or not, Murphy said. All the sites affected by the falsified data must be retested, investigated and brought up to state state standards.<\/p>\n

Staffers said the ECMC has established additional safeguards to prevent falsified data from being turned in and is examining records for potential problems. A random sampling of documents should be completed by the end of September.<\/p>\n

The agency believes there is no new risk to public health beyond the original conditions that prompted the work. Most of the sites are in unincorporated Weld County. A few locations are in the following communities: Berthoud, Dacono, Erie, Evans, Firestone, Fort Lupton, Frederick, Greeley, Johnstown, Keenesburg, Kersey, Milliken, Northglenn, Platteville, Severance and Windsor.<\/p>\n

The ECMC issued notices of alleged violations to Kerr McGee Oil and Gas, a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum Corp., and Noble Energy, a subsidiary of Chevron USA. The following subsidiaries of Denver-based Civitas Resources also received notices: 8 North, Bonanza Creek Energy Operating Company, Crestone Peak Resources Operating LLC, Extraction Oil & Gas and Highpoint Operating Corporation.<\/p>\n

Eagle Environmental Consulting submitted data on behalf of Chevron and Civitas Resources, according to the ECMC. Tasman Geosciences submitted information on behalf of Occidental Petroleum.<\/p>\n

A spokesman for Tasman said the company notified Occidental when it first became aware of issues with the data. The oil and gas operator then contacted the state, the ECMC said.<\/p>\n