WE ARE PDC

Who We Are

PDC Energy is a Denver-based oil and natural gas company, focused on the safe and responsible development of natural resources in Weld and Adams County, Colorado and the Midland area in Texas.

Founded over 50 years ago, the longevity of PDC is a testament to our employees and our commitment to safety. We have deep ties to Colorado, moving our headquarters from West Virginia to Denver in 2008 and opening a field office in Evans. Between the two offices, we are proud to have roughly 600 employees in the state.

Community Matters

PDC is a trailblazer in seeking impactful community partnerships with our stakeholders. At PDC, community matters. We build relationships with neighbors, landowners, elected officials and community leaders throughout our operating areas to ensure we are addressing concerns and seeking input. We also create and strengthen long-term partnerships with schools, local nonprofit organizations, and first responders.

 

 

Through these partnerships, we can place resources where they are needed most. Reflecting our core values, PDC encourages our employees to act with integrity and in a highly ethical manner–for themselves as well as on behalf of the company–and to be leading members of our communities.

 

Click here to see PDC’s ESG (environmental, social, and governance) Report.

WHAT IS A CAP

In 2019, the Colorado Legislature passed Senate Bill 181, which was designed to prioritize the protection of public safety, health, welfare and the environment in the regulation of the oil and natural gas industry. The regulations that resulted from this new law created an option for a new kind of oil and natural gas permitting – comprehensive area plans or CAPs.

A CAP is a type of permit that encompasses a larger area of land, which will be developed in sections over the greater part of a decade. The benefit to such a large-scale look at development is that it allows a company to create plans for comprehensive protection of community and environment.  It also means that we can engage with communities earlier and get feedback, answer questions and concerns.

GUANELLA CAP OVERVIEW

The area within PDC’s proposed CAP encompasses over 50 square miles within Weld County, but actual drilling will be located on 22 sites, spread throughout that acreage. Drilling would be spaced out over the better part of a decade, reflecting our thoughtful approach to development.

If approved, PDC will continue working with the COGCC to develop the CAP and will maintain ongoing conversation with our community members.

The CAP is designed to ensure the safe, comprehensive, and efficient development and operation of oil and natural gas resources with PDC as the sole operator in the boundaries of the CAP. PDC strongly believes environmental protection must be built into every operating decision we make, and our culture stresses personal accountability for all employees, contractors, and others on PDC properties.

Click on Individual Pad Locations Below to Download Information Packet

This site will be updated regularly with new information.  You can also contact a PDC professional to discuss any specific question you may have at any time during the process.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

9/19/22 Virtual Community Engagement Recording

COGA FACT SHEETS

11/16/21 RECORDED TOWN HALL

CONTACT PDC

KEY FACTS

Named after Guanella Pass, a high mountain pass in central Colorado, located in southwestern Clear Creek County.
A proposed 32,590-acre, 25 surface locations, 450 well comprehensive area plan in Weld County, Colorado.
The CAP covers five municipalities and over 5,300 surface landowners, mostly east of Milliken, west of Evans and in south Greeley.

COGCC PROCESS

COGCC Completeness Determination

After PDC submits the Comprehensive Area Plan (CAP) Application, the COGCC staff will determine whether the Application contains all the information necessary to be considered “complete.”  The COGCC may ask PDC to submit additional information if the Application is not deemed complete.

The CAP Becomes Public Upon Being Deemed Complete

Once COGCC staff deems the CAP Application complete, they will post the CAP plan to their website, making the plan itself a public document.  The completeness determination triggers the Public Comment period, described in Step 4, and triggers other notification requirements PDC must fulfill.  PDC will provide up‑to‑date information about the public comment period and notification process on this website.

Notice of Completeness

PDC must provide notice of completeness to specific stakeholders within five days following COGCC’s completeness determination.  Stakeholders who receive the completeness notice include residential building unit owners, surface owners, and mineral owners.  Notice will be provided by certified mail.

Public Comment

Any member of the public may provide written comment on the CAP Application to the COGCC during a 60‑day period following the completeness determination.  A link to the public comment page will be located here if/when PDC receives the completeness determination. In addition to providing comment to COGCC, PDC welcomes your feedback through any of the following ways:

  • Public meetings
  • Public hearings
  • Our hotline
  • COGCC website
  • Email

Hearing Date Set

After COGCC staff makes its completeness determination it will review the substance of the CAP Application and make a recommendation to the Commissioners to approve or deny the Application. The Commissioners will make the final decision whether to approve or deny the Application at a scheduled public Hearing. COGCC sets a hearing date for the Application and will post a notice of Hearing on its website. PDC will also post the Hearing notice on this website.

Local Community Engagement

During the 60‑day public comment period, PDC will hold public meetings and continue to engage with community members and local government representatives. We will also engage with relevant state regulatory entities including Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and Colorado Parks and Wildlife.  PDC will post a schedule of all its public meetings on this website.

Technical Review

After the 60‑day comment period has passed, the COGCC Director will give her technical recommendation to the COGCC Commissioners. The director’s recommendation is posted on the COGCC website and electronic notice is provided to local governments, anyone who has made a public comment, and other stakeholders.  The Director’s recommendation will be posted here when it is available.

Commissioners Hearing and Decision

The Commission will hear testimony from PDC, COGCC staff, and potentially from other interested parties such as the CDPHE, CPW, or other Affected Persons during the Application Hearing.  The Commission may also hear public comment.  Notice of the opportunity to make public comment will be posted here.  Following the public hearing and Director’s recommendation, the Commissioners will vote to approve or deny the Guanella CAP.

Step 1

COGCC Completeness Determination

After PDC submits the Comprehensive Area Plan (CAP) Application, the COGCC staff will determine whether the Application contains all the information necessary to be considered “complete.”  The COGCC may ask PDC to submit additional information if the Application is not deemed complete.

Step 2

The CAP Becomes Public Upon Being Deemed Complete

Once COGCC staff deems the CAP Application complete, they will post the CAP plan to their website, making the plan itself a public document.  The completeness determination triggers the Public Comment period, described in Step 4, and triggers other notification requirements PDC must fulfill.  PDC will provide up‑to‑date information about the public comment period and notification process on this website.

Step 3

Notice of Completeness

PDC must provide notice of completeness to specific stakeholders within five days following COGCC’s completeness determination.  Stakeholders who receive the completeness notice include residential building unit owners, surface owners, and mineral owners.  Notice will be provided by certified mail.

Step 4

Public Comment

Any member of the public may provide written comment on the CAP Application to the COGCC during a 60‑day period following the completeness determination.  A link to the public comment page will be located here if/when PDC receives the completeness determination. In addition to providing comment to COGCC, PDC welcomes your feedback through any of the following ways:

  • Public meetings
  • Public hearings
  • Our hotline
  • COGCC website
  • Email
Step 5

Hearing Date Set

After COGCC staff makes its completeness determination it will review the substance of the CAP Application and make a recommendation to the Commissioners to approve or deny the Application. The Commissioners will make the final decision whether to approve or deny the Application at a scheduled public Hearing. COGCC sets a hearing date for the Application and will post a notice of Hearing on its website. PDC will also post the Hearing notice on this website.

Step 6

Local Community Engagement

During the 60‑day public comment period, PDC will hold public meetings and continue to engage with community members and local government representatives. We will also engage with relevant state regulatory entities including Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and Colorado Parks and Wildlife.  PDC will post a schedule of all its public meetings on this website.

Step 7

Technical Review

After the 60‑day comment period has passed, the COGCC Director will give her technical recommendation to the COGCC Commissioners. The director’s recommendation is posted on the COGCC website and electronic notice is provided to local governments, anyone who has made a public comment, and other stakeholders.  The Director’s recommendation will be posted here when it is available.

Step 8

Commissioners Hearing and Decision

The Commission will hear testimony from PDC, COGCC staff, and potentially from other interested parties such as the CDPHE, CPW, or other Affected Persons during the Application Hearing.  The Commission may also hear public comment.  Notice of the opportunity to make public comment will be posted here.  Following the public hearing and Director’s recommendation, the Commissioners will vote to approve or deny the Guanella CAP.

GUANELLA CAP MAP

The COGCC considers land use and natural resources, including wildlife, within a one-mile perimeter of the CAP boundary.  The Guanella CAP map below includes the one mile buffer zone.

To Download PDF, click below.

The map also includes the existing and proposed oil and gas locations.  Proposed locations are subject to change subject to permitting standards and requirements during the development period.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why develop a Comprehensive Area Plan (CAP)? What are the benefits?

This innovative approach to development allows for modern and efficient oil and gas operations. By focusing on larger, long term comprehensive planning areas, PDC can install emissions-reducing infrastructure and prioritize a safe and environment-focused approach to operations. Larger planning areas and longer time horizons also allow for PDC to modernize our oil and gas fields, by removing  over 600 legacy vertical wells and replacing them with horizontal wells that use much less surface area. The removal of these wells will give a net back of over 1 square mile of land back to the landowners and community.  Lastly, CAPs provide landowners and other stakeholders with one designated area operator, so communications are streamlined with one single company instead of several oil and gas operators. Overall, CAPs provide multiple operational, environmental and stakeholder benefits – and comprehensive planning is a new and much-improved approach to modern oil and gas operations.