In unincorporated Adams County, new oil and gas sites need a county permit too

Adams County sits over part of Colorado’s oil and gas country, and drilling is an active part of the landscape, especially in the county’s eastern, less-developed areas.

For a landowner or a nearby buyer, the useful thing to know is that two layers of government are involved, and a new site needs both. The state’s Energy and Carbon Management Commission, part of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, sets the baseline rules for how wells are drilled and operated and issues its own approvals. On top of that, Adams County reviews new oil and gas facilities on unincorporated land through its own Oil and Gas Facility, or OGF, permit process. The county describes performance standards and zoning for these sites in its development regulations.

Why this matters to a homeowner: if you live near unincorporated county land, a proposed well site goes through a county review where neighbors can learn what is planned. And if you own land, mineral rights underneath a property can be owned separately from the surface, which is a separate question worth checking with the title before you buy.

None of this is legal advice, and the details change. The point is to know the county has a real role here alongside the state, not instead of it.

To see how Adams County permits oil and gas facilities and what standards apply, start with the county’s oil and gas information page, and see the Colorado Department of Natural Resources for the state side.