Marginal Wells
Colorado has nearly 500 low-producing oil and gas wells within one mile of a school. These aren’t the high-output wells that dominate industry headlines; they’re aging, declining stripper wells that produce only a few barrels of oil or a few thousand cubic feet of gas per day, often barely enough to justify the cost to keep them running. But marginal output doesn’t mean marginal risk.
Marginal wells are disproportionately prone to leaks, equipment failures, and fugitive emissions. As production declines, operators have less financial incentive to invest in maintenance, integrity testing, and repairs. Methane, benzene, and other volatile organic compounds migrate from poorly maintained wellheads, surface casings, and aging gathering lines. These wells pose unacceptable risks for the communities that live and go to school within a few hundred feet of these wells.
The Problem
Why aren’t these wells being plugged? The answer is straightforward: plugging and abandoning a well costs money, typically $30,000 to $150,000 or more depending on depth, location, and condition. Worse than that, permanently plugging a well can trigger the expiration of the underlying oil and gas lease, putting operators at risk of losing access to mineral resources they consider a long-term asset. The result is a powerful financial incentive to do nothing, and a growing inventory of marginal wells that sit idle or barely producing near homes, parks, and schools.
This chart above shows the 47 low-producing oil & gas wells located within 2,000 feet of a school, broken down by county and operator. The majority are in Weld County, where new neighborhoods (and schools) have been built near existing oil & gas infrastructure. Crestone Peak Resources and Extraction Oil & Gas each appear in both Weld and Boulder counties because both counties straddle the DJ Basin where most of Colorado’s oil is extracted.
The Solution
We have identified 47 low-producing wells within 2,000 feet of Colorado schools as our highest-priority targets for this program. They represent the stark intersection of industrial risk and community vulnerability. There are over 450 low-producing wells within a mile of Colorado schools, but these 47 are where we ‘re starting, and where we’re asking operators to act.
Our job as directly impacted residents, members of the community, and leaders on city councils and school boards, is to encourage these operators to plug and abandon these wells.
The KPK Wrinkle
The largest offender is KP Kauffman with 18 wells within 2,000 ft of Weld County schools. KPK operates over 1,000 largely low-producing wells in northeastern Colorado and has accumulated so many violations and fines that the State has threatened to revoke the company’s license to operate. A court upheld a nearly $2 million fine against the company in early 2025, and in December 2024 the ECMC moved to suspend KPK’s certificates of clearance (the authorizations needed to move oil and gas out of wells for sale). KPK has warned regulators that enforcement actions could push all of its wells into the state’s orphan well program, leaving taxpayers responsible for cleanup costs estimated in the tens of millions.
KP Kauffman is a company that has spent years fighting fines, threatening regulators with orphan well liability, and operating at the margins of its license. They’re not an obvious candidate for voluntary action. KPK has been plugging some wells, albeit slowly, but the precedent is there. It’s worth making sure they hear loudly and clearly from the communities bearing the consequences of their inaction.
What You Can Do
Sign the Petition
Add your name to send a clear, unified message: the status quo is not acceptable. Almost 50 low-producing oil & gas wells sit within 2,000 feet of Colorado schools; close enough to affect the places where children learn and play. We’re focused on these highest-priority sites where the risk is most immediate and the solution is straightforward. By signing, you’re calling on operators to take concrete responsibility and act on a defined timeline. Collective pressure matters, and public accountability is often what turns vague promises into real action.
Organize In Your Community
The wells on this list are within walking distance of schools your children attend. Make this issue visible: bring it up at PTA meetings, city council sessions, and school board meetings. Ask your elected officials what they know and what they’re doing. Organized and informed communities tip the scales to render doing nothing an unacceptable option. You don’t need to be an expert in oil and gas regulation to have a voice in this. You just need to show up. We’re here to help.
Contact the Oil & Gas Operators
Every operator on this list has a public affairs contact or community relations team. A straightforward message from a parent, a teacher, or a neighbor asking them to plug and abandon specific wells near your school can carry real weight. Let them know that it’s their responsibility to protect your community.
The Low Producing Wells
As of March 4, 2026, here are all the low producing wells within 2,000 feet of Colorado schools; search for your school to see if there are any low producing wells nearby.
| Operator | Well Name | API Number | Nearest School | County | Distance to School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extraction Oil & Gas | VT-LDS #C4-16-18 | 05-123-44414 | Bella Romero Academy of Applied Technology | Weld | 1,399 ft |
| KP Kauffman | GRANT #3 | 05-123-09307 | Carbon Valley Academy | Weld | 1,541 ft |
| Prairie Operating Co | GUSTAFSON #31-52 | 05-123-25565 | Eaton Early Learning Center | Weld | 1,755 ft |
| Prairie Operating Co | GUSTAFSON #31-11 | 05-123-31295 | Eaton Early Learning Center | Weld | 1,621 ft |
| Prairie Operating Co | GUSTAFSON #31-12 | 05-123-32957 | Eaton Early Learning Center | Weld | 1,732 ft |
| Kerr McGee Oil & Gas | VICTORIA U #01-14JI | 05-123-20202 | Firestone Charter Academy | Weld | 1,821 ft |
| KP Kauffman | GUADAGNOLI #1 | 05-123-08298 | Frederick Senior High School | Weld | 1,259 ft |
| KP Kauffman | THOMAL L. RUSSELL 'D' #2 | 05-123-08818 | Frederick Senior High School | Weld | 1,060 ft |
| KP Kauffman | STATE #14 | 05-123-09466 | Frederick Senior High School | Weld | 1,659 ft |
| KP Kauffman | FREDERICK UNIT A #1 | 05-123-11449 | Frederick Senior High School | Weld | 942 ft |
| KP Kauffman | FREDERICK UNIT D #1 | 05-123-11765 | Frederick Senior High School | Weld | 1,023 ft |
| TEP Rocky Mountain | NORCROSS #A1 | 05-045-15181 | Garfield Re-2 Preschool CMC Campus | Garfield | 1,929 ft |
| QB Energy | TONDER #17-1 (PA17) | 05-045-15194 | Grand Valley Middle School | Garfield | 1,777 ft |
| QB Energy | TONDER #17-1BB (PA17) | 05-045-15296 | Grand Valley Middle School | Garfield | 1,797 ft |
| KP Kauffman | RODGERS #1 | 05-123-08143 | Grand View Elementary | Weld | 1,146 ft |
| KP Kauffman | CHAMPLIN 86 AMOCO B #2 | 05-123-08756 | Grand View Elementary | Weld | 1,112 ft |
| KP Kauffman | MORGAN 'A' #4 | 05-123-09476 | Grand View Elementary | Weld | 1,408 ft |
| KP Kauffman | CHAMPLIN 86 AMOCO B #5 | 05-123-09506 | Grand View Elementary | Weld | 1,902 ft |
| Extraction Oil & Gas | Arellano #Q-10-9HN | 05-123-41108 | Heath Middle School | Weld | 1,514 ft |
| Extraction Oil & Gas | Arellano #L-10-9HN | 05-123-41113 | Heath Middle School | Weld | 1,477 ft |
| Extraction Oil & Gas | Arellano #T-10-9HN | 05-123-41114 | Heath Middle School | Weld | 1,540 ft |
| PDC Energy | UPPR PIERCE TOWNSITE #1 | 05-123-05520 | Highland Elementary School | Weld | 1,174 ft |
| PDC Energy | PIERCE UNIT #2 | 05-123-07596 | Highland Elementary School | Weld | 1,599 ft |
| KP Kauffman | GRAHAM UNIT #1 | 05-123-08517 | Kenneth Homyak PK-8 | Weld | 1,637 ft |
| KP Kauffman | UPRR 43 PAN AM I #13 | 05-123-08983 | Kenneth Homyak PK-8 | Weld | 1,183 ft |
| KP Kauffman | UPRR 43 PAN AM I #25 | 05-123-08984 | Kenneth Homyak PK-8 | Weld | 1,818 ft |
| KP Kauffman | UPRR 43 PAN AM I #12 | 05-123-09115 | Kenneth Homyak PK-8 | Weld | 1,034 ft |
| KP Kauffman | UPRR 43 PAN AM I #24 | 05-123-09116 | Kenneth Homyak PK-8 | Weld | 1,872 ft |
| KP Kauffman | GRANT #1 | 05-123-08568 | Legacy Elementary School | Weld | 865 ft |
| KP Kauffman | GRANT #4 | 05-123-09309 | Legacy Elementary School | Weld | 573 ft |
| Crestone Peak Resources | State #1C-16H | 05-123-36856 | Mead Elementary School | Weld | 1,435 ft |
| C & J Field Services | GOV LUBAUER PETROLEUM #46 | 05-103-05365 | Parkview Elementary School | Rio Blanco | 1,857 ft |
| C & J Field Services | LUBAUER #19A | 05-103-07161 | Parkview Elementary School | Rio Blanco | 1,822 ft |
| Bison IV | TROSTEL #32-34 | 05-123-30188 | Pawnee School PK-12 | Weld | 1,932 ft |
| Extraction Oil & Gas | SIMPSON MD #2-7 | 05-013-06291 | Peak to Peak Charter School | Boulder | 1,324 ft |
| Extraction Oil & Gas | LASALLE PARK Y5 #5-5-31 | 05-123-25898 | Pete Mirich Elementary School | Weld | 1,875 ft |
| Extraction Oil & Gas | COMMONS Z2 #2-2-6 | 05-123-26712 | Pete Mirich Elementary School | Weld | 1,869 ft |
| Extraction Oil & Gas | DOVE HILL Z1 #2-6-31 | 05-123-26713 | Pete Mirich Elementary School | Weld | 1,870 ft |
| Kerr McGee Oil & Gas | PLATEVILLE #1-19 | 05-123-10252 | Platteville Elementary School | Weld | 845 ft |
| Kerr McGee Oil & Gas | CAMP #13-19A | 05-123-18488 | Platteville Elementary School | Weld | 841 ft |
| Crestone Peak Resources | SHAFFER-NEWMAN H UNIT #1 | 05-013-06107 | Red Hawk Elementary | Boulder | 1,527 ft |
| KP Kauffman | UPRR 42 PAN AM AE #1 | 05-123-08721 | Thunder Valley PK-8 | Weld | 1,312 ft |
| KP Kauffman | UPRR 42 PAN AM AE #5 | 05-123-08725 | Thunder Valley PK-8 | Weld | 1,565 ft |
| PDC Energy | SEGL #18-24 | 05-123-23051 | Trinity Lutheran School | Weld | 1,987 ft |
| PDC Energy | MELISSA #1 | 05-123-20330 | Valley High School | Weld | 1,911 ft |
We Need Your Support
This work takes time, expertise, and resources. If you believe every child deserves to go to school without an aging oil well next door, please consider making a donation to support our research, community outreach, and advocacy efforts.