Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Ozone Reductions Fall Short in 2005

Data from the state shows that several oil and gas companies failed to meet required ozone reductions in 2005. The chart below, which came from the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division, shows that 58% of oil and gas companies failed to achieve the required 37.5% reduction in emissions of ozone forming compounds north of Denver. Ten companies, or 38%, achieved no reductions in ozone forming compounds whatsoever.

Company

Uncontrolled Tons/Year

Controlled Tons/Year

Average % Reduction

Aceite Energy Corp.

42.59

24.84

41.67%

Blue Chip

62.12

62.12

0%

Bonanza Creek Oil

48.79

48.79

0%

City/County Denver

60.24

34.14

43.32%

Colton LLC

59.15

42.50

28.16%

Encana

1864.18

976.98

48%

Exco Resources

471.94

254.69

46.03%

Foundation Energy MG

17.05

17.05

0%

Fountainhead

34.3

34.3

0%

K.P. Kauffman Co

571.12

530.49

7.12%

Kerr McGee

7653.2

4460.4

41.7%

Machii Ross

17.04

8.28

51.39%

Matrix Energy, LLC

121.36

121.36

0%

Merit Energy Company

1188.28

792.34

33.32%

Noble Energy Inc.

11338.64

6908.51

39.07%

Paladin Energy

41.92

41.92

0%

Petro-Canada

2080.73

1190.19

42.80%

Petroleum Development

3130.19

1702.00

45.63%

Petroleum Management

22.83

22.83

0%

Red Willow Operating

137.27

137.27

0%

Setex Oil and Gas

190.38

85.70

54.99%

Starlight Resources

135.07

119.82

11.29%

Tyler Rockies Exploration

58.36

58.36

0%

United States Exploration

550.04

550.04

0%

Whitewing Resources

38.61

18.15

52.99%

Whiting Oil and Gas Corp.

59.82

39.94

33.24%


Some companies far exceeded the required 37.5% reduction in ozone forming compounds in 2005. Among them, Setex Oil and Gas seems to be the champion in ozone reductions, achieving a whopping 54.99% reduction. The majority of companies, however, failed to do their part to protect the Denver metro area from ozone pollution in 2005.

This summer, companies were required to achieve a 47.5% reduction in emissions of ozone forming compounds. We have heard that several companies may have failed to meet this requirement as well. In light of this summer's extremely unhealthy ozone pollution, this seems very likely.

2 Comments:

At 1:51 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Too much ozone could be harmful but too little is harmful, too. The creation and the destruction ozone ratio are very changeable. High ozone concentrations affect some components of our body’s defense system while one percent decreases of the ozone layer increases UV light intensity at the earth’s surface by two percent, which lead also to body’s damage.

 
At 2:20 PM, Blogger Jeremy Nichols said...

That's an interesting point, Mellissa. True, we need ozone high up, but down low, ozone is a serious health threat. In fact, the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, a federally established committee of health and science experts, just recommended that the EPA establish an ozone standard of at most 70 parts per billion. This is 10 ppb lower than what the EPA currently requires. Check out the post from August 28th for more info.

When scientists unanimously support stronger protection from ground-level ozone, I'm hardly inclined to disagree.

 

Post a Comment

<< Home