The State Oil and Gas Regulatory Exchange (Exchange) released this week a peer assessment of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission's well integrity program. The Exchange is a partnership between the Ground Water Protection Council (GPWC) and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) with a mission to assist states’ efforts to continuously improve their oil and gas regulatory programs.
In 2017, COGCC requested the Exchange conduct a peer assessment of the Commission’s well integrity regulations as well as other topics. Through this peer assessment by the Exchange Assessment Team, the Commission sought “the insights a . . . Peer Assessment can provide regarding best practices and leading edge thought among state oil and gas regulators from around the country.”
COGCC asked the peer assessment team to identify “any perceived regulatory gaps or inefficiencies, insights into other states’ approaches to regulating the same or similar topics, and suggested modifications to existing or addition of new rules.” Pursuant to recently enacted legislation (Colorado Senate Bill 19-181), the Commission will consider incorporating recommendations from the peer assessment in its upcoming rulemaking on well integrity.