YOUR AD HERE »

Environmentalists: Shale imperils other Colorado water uses

Associated PressDenver, CO Colorado

DENVER, Colorado An environmental group says oil companies have rights to large volumes of Colorado water for producing oil shale, calling it a potentially dangerous drain in an already water-scarce area.Western Resource Advocates said Wednesday companies have rights totaling nearly 2 million acre-feet of stored water and more in diversions from waterways.The group says agriculture and communities would suffer if that much water goes to oil shale.Tracy Boyd of Shell Exploration & Production questions the group’s projections. He says the group assumes production will be at levels the industry doesn’t expect until much later.Shell has research and development leases in western Colorado.Colorado, Wyoming and Utah are thought to hold 800 billion barrels of recoverable oil in shale.


Support Local Journalism