Residents of Colorado’s Weld County have had to evacuate following an oil and gas release from a local Chevron well. The Chevron-owned well experienced a release of fluids following a “well control incident,” according to Chevron. A dozen people and Galeton Elementary are primarily affected by the evacuation order.
Weld County: Oil Country
Weld County is located in the northern part of Colorado, around Greeley and south of Cheyenne. The aridity and vacancy of the land have made it ripe for oil drilling. Travelers through the general area can take note of the many oil wells as well as cows. It is a peaceful, bucolic setting.
Of note, Weld County at one point tried to secede from Colorado as their politics and Denver’s politics were that at odds. They felt such a kinship with Wyoming that they started a movement to leave Colorado and officially be a part of Wyoming, also known for its aridity, vacancy of land, and oil wells. Galeton, in particular, is officially unincorporated territory. Located 14 miles north of Greeley, it is truly better to have a truck to get anywhere country. No issues with gassing it up.
Bishop Well Has A “Control Issue”
A facility known to locals as Bishop Well, south of Weld County Road 74, erupted with a liquid leak around 5:50 pm MDT Sunday, April 6th. Apparently, well controls were the culprit. The incident left one “business partner employee” injured, requiring treatment at a local medical facility. No other direct injuries were reported. Galeton Fire District, as a precaution, instituted an evacuation for everyone within a half mile of the facility. Twelve people were affected.
No reports have come out of Weld County thus far as to what, if any, evacuation plans were instituted or the health of the evacuees. There are no reports that the evacuation was even effected, just declared. Galeton Fire District is being a responsible, responsive fire district. It has just put up a second fire station to ensure the southern part of Galeton is fully covered in case of emergencies.
The Eagles And Raptors Are Ok, Thus Far
Colorado wildlife biologists, fully certified, are on the scene tracking any impact to the bald eagle nest, only one and a half miles away from the facility with the oil and gas fountain. Thus far, they have not recorded any negative impacts on the eagles. Raptor nests in the area have been checked, and there are no reports of harm to the great birds. Bald eagles are the USA’s official symbol, so the biologists are completely on this job.
Residents Are Advised To Avoid Ditch Burning
As Chevron continues responsible efforts to contain and clean up the fluids release, residents were asked to avoid “ditch burning” since fluids may end up in the ditches, and initiating burns in ditches could end up in flame plumes far more spectacular and destructive than the giant petrol fountain at the oil and gas facility. Not to mention spreading as a literal wildfire. This would affect the eagles and raptors, who need trees to live in, as everyone knows. It is unclear what “ditch burning” is, but obviously, it is a common and popular enough practice that this warning had to be issued.
Galeton Elementary School Remains Closed
Galeton Elementary, serving 122 students from grades K-5, remains closed as a precautionary measure. Authorities are primarily worried about parents navigating closed roads to get their kids to school, as opposed to actual harm to the children. From all reports, the environmental impact of the flume has been blessedly minimal. Colorado residents in Weld County can feel good about the responsible efforts being taken to ensure everyone’s safety.
