Desastre ambiental sin precedentes en Colorado:

las inundaciones destruyen gran cantidad de pozos de fracking del estado (leer)

Colorado’s fracking flood: new aerial photos, contamination fears

a wellhead, crude oil tank, toxic waste water tank llifted from ground, separator, and combustor flares submerged under flood waters – Weld County, Colorado (all images courtesy of EcoFlight)

Earlier this week, The Common Sense Canadian brought you the underreported story of flood damage to oil and gas infrastructure in Colorado – featuring photos taken by a local group concerned about toxic chemicals and hydrocarbons leaking into rivers and farmland, in the wake of the state’s catastrophic storm.

Today, we bring you new aerial photos of the wreckage, taken Tuesday over hard-hit Weld County by Colorado conservation photography group EcoFlight.

Wellhead, crude oil tanks, toxic waste water tanks, multpile separator, multiple combustor flares submerged

Colorado is one of a dozen or more states that have been part of the controversial “fracking” boom across the United States and around the world. The state’s recent flooding raises the question: should fracking operations be located in a floodplain – especially one with a history of major floods?

Moreover, what oil and gas-related environmental and health impacts are really occurring as a result of this disaster?

Despite the lack of mainstream media coverage of the issue, we do know from the Denver Post of one confirmed pipeline rupture and at least 5,250 gallons of crude oil spilled into the South Platte River from two tank batteries ripped open by the flood.

According to The Post:

Representatives for the Colorado Oil and Gas Association said Tuesday that nearly 1,900 oil and gas wells in the affected areas have been shut, with industry personnel inspecting and repairing sites.

That does little to reassure Cliff Willmeng of the local anti-fracking group East Boulder County United, who noted earlier this week, “Many of these chemicals are carcinogenic, neurotoxic, and known disruptors of the human endocrine system. As of today there is no testing taking place, industrial, independent or otherwise to determine the extent of the contamination, nor any talk of it.”

Storage yard for oil and gas drilling equipment

In a follow-up conversation today, Willmeng indicated industry and government authorities have done nothing to allay his concerns:

A spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Todd Hartman, downplayed the risks of contamination from open storage pits for toxic frack fluids, noting there are relatively few of these pits in the region of the flood. “We are assessing the impact to open pits, including building a count of how many pits may have been affected,” said Hartman.

Pennsylvania State University petroleum engineering professor Robert Watson also tried to calm the fears of people like Willmeng, telling The Globe and Mail, “The amount of wastewater is so small compared to the amount of water passing through there, and compared to the chemicals used in farming.”

To Willmeng:

His organization and others are calling for an immediate statewide moratorium on oil and as activity. In addition, “we’re calling for the Colorado Oil and Gas Commission to end its litigation and harassment of communities protecting themselves by denying oil and gas activity.” The groups have created a petition to this effect.

There are currently five communities in Colorado voting on ballot initiatives to create moratoriums or outright bans of oil and gas activities.

All photos below courtesy of EcoFlight. See more aerial images on their website here.

Drilling rig submerged in flood waters. Black piping is standing upright to the derrick

Submerged well pad

Appears to be a flowline which carries petrochemicals from surrounding active oil and gas well pads

Overturned crude oil tanks