PDC Energy halts Wattenberg field production amid Colorado flooding

Widespread flooding and numerous road closures in Weld County, Colo., has forced PDC Energy Inc. to suspend gas production operations Sept. 13 from a limited number of wells in Wattenberg field. The company expects to return the majority of suspended wells to production this week.

“As our first concern was for the safety of our employees in the field and to minimize any impact to the environment, we elected to shut-in production sites before they became inaccessible due to road closures and flood conditions,” PDC Energy said. “Beginning today we are assessing impacts to individual well sites and expect a full assessment as the flood waters recede this week. We plan to access the well sites using alternate routes around impacted roads and bridges and anticipate the majority of the impacts to operations will be short-term.”

PDC operates 2,300 vertical and 80 horizontal wells in Wattenberg field. Its holdings in Wattenberg field include the horizontal Niobrara and Codell plays (OGJ Online, Feb. 6, 2013).