The Energy and Carbon Management Commission on June 25 approved Noble Energy’s West Pony comprehensive area plan and the related West Pony 1 oil and gas development plan, authorizing development of the capped area and approving six of eight planned surface locations for the first OGDP.

The CAP approval lets Noble develop about 20,749 acres through two OGDPs; the West Pony 1 OGDP covers about 16,251 acres and includes a 3,200‑acre drilling and spacing unit (DSU). Commissioners voted to approve the CAP and then the OGDP after presentations from Noble and local government representatives and staff testimony. Commissioner Ackerman moved to approve the CAP and OGDP and the motions carried unanimously.

Noble told commissioners it reduced its initially larger pad count through multi‑well pads and consolidation to limit surface disturbance and requested that the CAP and the approved OGDPs carry the same expiration date as the underlying state unit (07/14/2031). Company witnesses said the six approved locations would allow up to 133 horizontals across three multis and three standalone pads and that there are currently no residences, schools or other regulated buildings within 2,000 feet of those six pads.

Why it matters: The package bundles landscape‑level planning, wildlife mitigation, and infrastructure commitments. Commissioners and staff framed approval as balancing mineral development with wildlife protection, air‑quality controls and limits on community impacts.

What Noble committed and what staff noted

Noble described several mitigation and minimization measures: payment of direct and indirect compensatory mitigation fees for locations inside high priority habitat (HPH) for pronghorn and mule deer; adherence to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) winter timing stipulations for most phases; installation of sound walls for pre‑production activities in HPH; a tankless centralized facility design and three‑phase pipeline takeaway for oil, gas and produced water to minimize truck traffic; and an electric‑first approach for drilling and site equipment when grid capacity is available, with Tier 4 diesel as a fallback if grid power is not deliverable. The company also described a native‑seed program, animal collaring and other voluntary habitat enhancement work as part of a voluntary “comprehensive wildlife plan.”

CPW and Weld County consultations were a major part of the record. Weld County told the commission it had processed the related comprehensive development plan (CDP) under county code and supported approval, while CPW signed off on wildlife mitigation plans and timing relief for limited pre‑production work at two multis where brief, mitigated pre‑production activities will be allowed by CPW and completed activities such as completions will occur outside the sensitive timing window.

Staff and multiple commissioners pressed Noble on electrification and produced water recycling. Noble said it has paid for meters and distribution upgrades and is negotiating with the local utility to increase grid capacity; it described a plan to deploy mobile produced‑water recycling units in 2026 and to use third‑party produced water where available to reduce freshwater demand. The company also described recent investments to allow electrification where the grid will support it.

Questions and conditions

Commissioners repeatedly asked Noble to continue working with CPW on siting and to avoid new locations in unfragmented habitat where possible. Noble clarified the CAP does not request final approval of two locations planned for a later OGDP (West Pony 2); those two locations remain to be sited and will return for separate review. Commissioners also expressed concern about fallback language that allows diesel rigs if grid power is unavailable and asked staff and Noble to track electrification progress as the program proceeds.

Outcome and next steps

The commission approved the West Pony comprehensive area plan and approved the West Pony 1 OGDP and associated DSU, with terms to run concurrent with the West Pony state unit (expiration requested for 07/14/2031). Staff will draft final orders reflecting the commissioners’ votes and the date clarification discussed on the record. Noble and CPW will continue implementation of the mitigation plans and the company will supply community outreach and monitoring per its commitments.

Speakers quoted in this article appear in the meeting record and include company presenters and county and commission representatives; direct quotes in the article are limited to the speakers listed.