RMCAA Speaks Out on Statewide Smog Reductions

The health of our communities and children stands to benefit tremendously if proposed smog reductions are adopted by the state of Colorado this fall.

Smog and Oil and Gas Development

Smog is fast becoming a serious problem in the Rocky Mountains, especially in western Colorado. Formed when air pollutants like nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds, such as formaldehyde, react with sunlight to form ozone, is the most widespread health threat to communities in the Rockies.

Up high, the ozone layer helps protect us, but down low, ozone is a serious health risk. Ozone is linked to low birth weights, difficulty breathing among children, asthma attacks, and increased emergency room visits. Children and the elderly are hurt most by ozone. Federal regulation limits ozone in our air to no more then 80 parts per billion, yet scientists report negative health impacts at levels as low as 55 parts per billion.

Long considered to be an urban problem, brown clouds are on the rise throughout the rural west as a result of booming oil and gas development. While smog forming compounds are released by smokestacks and tailpipes, pretty much every stage of oil and gas development releases hefty amounts of smog forming compounds.

The map below, prepared with data from the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, shows the location of oil and gas wells in Colorado. With virtually every county impacted by drilling, so too is virtually every county being impacted by air pollution.


Consider this: In one year, just one of EnCana’s natural gas processing plants south of Rangely in Rio Blanco County has the potential to release enough nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds to equal that released by over 43,000 cars each driven 12,500 miles a year.

Even more shocking is what rural air monitors are telling us. In the winters of 2005 and 2006, smog levels in southwestern Wyoming exceeded the ozone health standard nine times. This is an area where the human population is outnumbered by the pronghorn population, where the only real source of air pollution is booming natural gas development.

In southwestern Colorado, monitors in Mesa Verde National Park show smog levels have steadily risen in the last decade, with some of the highest readings recorded only in the last two years. Trends show that peak ozone levels may exceed 80 parts per billion by 2009.

Coupled with ever increasing drilling, we are one cough away from serious air pollution problems, and losing our health and quality of life.

Smog Reductions in the Forecast

Recognizing this, the Air Quality Control Commission directed the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division to develop a proposal that would help reduce emissions of smog forming compounds from oil and gas developments. The Division responded, proposing safeguards that would significantly reduce smog forming compounds from three main sources: condensate tanks, glycol dehydrators, and reciprocating internal combustion engines.

Condensate tanks fill with hydrocarbons from the ground as a result of oil and gas production. Pollution evaporates from these tanks as underground pressure is lowered during production, just like opening a bottle of soda (see picture below). The pollution smells just like being next to an oil refinery. The Division estimates that there are 152 large condensate tanks in Colorado outside of the Denver metro area that annually release 11,868,000 pounds of volatile organic compounds.


Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency used infrared cameras to view emissions of volatile organic compounds from just one condensate tank north of Denver. The images were shocking. While invisible to the naked eye, with infrared, the pollution looked as if the tank was spewing out gray smoke.

Glycol dehydrators are used to separate gas from water for processing and transmission. The Division estimates that there are 38 glycol dehydrators outside of the Denver metro area that annually release 2,318,600 pounds of volatile organic compounds.

Engines, which are used to compress natural gas, are also significant sources of pollution. Just one 1200 horsepower engine can release enough volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide to equal the amount released by over 8,000 cars each driven 12,500 miles a year.

Under the state’s proposal, volatile organic compounds would be reduced by 95% from condensate tanks that release 20 tons per year or more and 90% from glycol dehydrators that release 15 tons per year or more. The result will be an immediate 13,361,340 pound reduction in VOCs. That’s like getting over 173,074 cars off the road.

Second, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide would be reduced by around 75% or more from reciprocating internal combustion engines rated at 100 horsepower or higher. Essentially, these engines would be required to install the same controls that have come standard on cars and trucks for the last 30 years.

While the proposal represents one of the most significant efforts by the state to reduce air pollution from oil and gas development, the smog reductions are not where we stop working for clean air. In combination with citizen watchdogging, community planning, and other efforts, the proposal puts us on solid footing to get in front of more serious pollution problems. As we’re learning in Denver, an ounce of air pollution prevention would have been worth a pound of cure.

Oil and gas development needs to be done right and doing it right does not come at the expense of clean air or healthy communities. The proposed smog reductions represent important safeguards for our children and are a sensible response to looming pollution problems. With our support, clean air will be in the forecast.