Cub Creek Knight wellsite was likely source of benzene emissions, report says
REMOTE (March 10, 2022): The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment completed a follow-up investigation into an elevated benzene reading near Cub Creek Energy’s Knight well pad in Weld County last December. The report, which is available online, states that the Knight wellsite was the likeliest source of the elevated benzene emission, though the investigation could not definitively determine a source. There are no other known sites nearby that could explain the data CDPHE collected.
The elevated benzene measurement was not an immediate health risk for nearby residents but indicated the need for the follow-up investigation.
CDPHE detected the elevated emissions while conducting community monitoring with the Colorado Air Monitoring Mobile Lab north of Union Reservoir Dec. 11. The reading of 9.9 parts per billion was above the state health-based guideline of 9 parts per billion. CDPHE conducted 387 hours of benzene measurements at this site and recorded only one hour above the health guideline.
CDPHE continues to monitor the levels of total volatile organic compounds at the site using a small, portable monitor.
“In cases like this, we monitor for a time to keep an eye on emissions,” said Michael Ogletree, director of the Air Pollution Control Division. “This type of monitoring also helps advance the science on how specific equipment and phases of production lead to increased emissions.”.
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