Recorded on May 4, 2022

Episode 47 is a special treat for PetroNerds podcast listeners wanting to know more about Colorado, regulations on oil and gas, the need for politicians to actually act, and the Denver Julesburg Basin.  Trisha Curtis is joined by guest Heidi Gill, CEO of Denver based Urban Solutions.  Urban Solutions is primarily a soundwall and mitigation company for oil and gas activity, but as Heidi explains, it is also a compliance company and is working on software and nuisance impacts and mitigation in other businesses from renewables to crypto. 

Trisha opens with commentary on the Federal Reserve’s 50 basis point rate hike and the current 30 year fixed mortgage rate of 5.6 percent.  WTI is $107.68, Brent $110.07, Henry Hub $8.38, Dutch TTF $32.  Trisha and Heidi talk about the state of the Colorado oil and gas industry, regulations in Colorado oil and gas, the defeat of Proposition 112, the push of SB 181, changes in the COGCC (Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission), and oil and gas activity in the DJ Basin. 

They talk about the need for clarity on regulations and the need for permit approvals for investors to get excited about the DJ.  They talk about Colorado Governor Jared Polis’ positioning on oil and gas, how SB 181 was not put in place to foster oil and gas development, and how the COGCC make up was changed.  Heidi makes note of Occidental’s wells in the town of Firestone being approved by Firestone but denied by the state of Colorado.  Heidi says that the “The state has not been processing permits consistently.”  

Trisha and Heidi discuss the need for clarity in Colorado on oil and gas permitting so that businesses like Heidi’s have an incentive to stay in Colorado. They also talk about the stringent emission standards in Colorado for oil and gas production and touch on a number of other topics, including NIMBYism (Not in My Back Yard) and the inability to permit renewables as well as oil and gas.  This is a DJ focussed podcast with applications across the US and across businesses, including renewables.