Sometime in the next few days, TOP Operating Company will begin the cleanup of contaminated soil at the site of the Rider oil and gas well located near St. Vrain Road and County Line Road on the east side of Longmont.  

The well was permanently plugged and abandoned by TOP Operating in August 2016. This cleanup is part of the original 2012 plan to close the well, but the plan was delayed when the Colorado Oil and Gas Association (COGA) filed suit against Longmont after voters approved a fracking ban within the city limits

The case ultimately was heard by the Colorado Supreme Court and, in May 2016, the court overturned Longmont’s fracking restrictions. Once there was legal clarity on Longmont’s oil and gas regulations, the two sides reengaged discussions on the future of the well site.

Plugging and abandoning of the Rider well involved cutting the production casing about 4000 feet below the surface and filling the bore hole above that with cement to assure a complete sealing of the well. The plugging and abandonment process included the removal of the large oil storage tank and other production facilities. As a part of the City of Longmont’s ongoing investigations of oil and gas facility locations within the City, soil contamination was detected at this former well site. In cooperation with the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) and the Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE), TOP Operating is undertaking this clean up under state orders.

The environmental remediation at the Rider Well site will involve excavating of contaminated soil which is then disposed of at an appropriately licensed disposal location. When the extent of contaminated soil is fully removed from this location the excavation will be back filled with clean fill dirt. The final phase of the clean up is surface restoration which involves surface grading and reseeding with native grasses.

For additional information on oil and gas well management and oversight across Colorado, please go to the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission’s webpage at cogcc.state.co.us. You can view an interactive map of wells and associated information at cogccmap.state.co.us/cogcc_gis_online. Longmont residents seeking further details can also visit bit.ly/longmont-oil-gas, email pwnr@longmontcolorado.gov or call 303-651-8416.