Colorado's oil country expected a 2020 decline — and then an unprecedented pair of crises hit

“Even if things don’t get that bleak, Weld County, home to 90% of Colorado’s oil production and more than 30% of the state’s natural gas production, is preparing for a decline. Colorado set new records for crude oil and for natural gas production in 2019, according to preliminary figures from the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. But the number of drilling permits for new wells fell by 60% in 2019 compared to the 5,100 issued in Weld County by the state in 2018. That drop is due to the tightening of state rules under Senate Bill 181, the oil and gas reforms passed a year ago,” said Barbara Kirkmeyer, Weld County Commissioner.

— The Denver Business Journal, March 20, 2020 (need subscription to read full story)