This week, the ECMC announced an agreement for a $1,534,500 fine for the blowout incident at the Bishop A07 pad in Galeton, Colorado operated by Chevron subsidiary Noble Energy Inc. Presented in an Administrative Order by Consent (a negotiated settlement between ECMC staff and operators to resolve alleged oil and gas violations without a full, contested hearing), the proposed settlement agreement goes before the ECMC Commissioners for approval on March 18th, 2026.
The penalties were assessed based on a number of different rule violations alleged over the 20 days after the well blowout on April 6, 2025. The public will have an opportunity to make comments at the March 18 ECMC hearing, but will have to sign up in advance. Visit the ECMC Commission Hearings website for instructions on making public comment for this hearing, and to access the virtual meeting using Zoom.
About the Bishop Blowout
On the evening of April 6, 2025, a loss of well control occurred at the Noble Energy/Chevron Bishop A07-01 pad near Galeton, a rural Weld County community of roughly 250 residents located about seven miles northeast of Greeley. The blowout released an estimated 20,000 barrels of produced water and 5,000 barrels of oil and condensate, spewing up to 80 feet into the air and affecting approximately 350 nearby properties.
The root cause was an improperly installed production tree combined with a poorly seated tube hanger (the barrier designed to maintain pressure control as the well transitioned from drilling to production). The ECMC called the incident “very rare and unprecedented.” One contractor was injured.
Nearly 400 emergency responders worked around the clock for four days. Wild Well Control stopped the flow on April 10, 2025, and Chevron declared the well fully secured the following day.
A half-mile evacuation radius displaced residents of approximately 14 homes. Galeton Elementary School was closed from April 11 through April 22 for decontamination of the building interior, exterior, and playground equipment. Air monitoring recorded maximum benzene concentrations of 9–10 parts per billion approximately two miles downwind during the early days of the incident.
Chevron’s remediation workplan covers approximately 300 parcels within a 1.5-mile radius, with a projected completion date of April 2030. To date, Chevron and its contractors have removed 81,941 cubic yards of contaminated soil and 21.8 million gallons of contaminated water from the site, less than a mile south of Galeton Elementary School.
Following a 10-month investigation, the ECMC proposed a $1.75 million penalty against Chevron, with a public hearing scheduled for March 18, 2026. The six alleged violations cover well control, safety, facility operations, and air, water, and soil pollution. Chevron also faces a separate federal OSHA investigation and potential civil claims from affected property owners.
