Colorado State Energy Profile

Colorado Quick Facts

Colorado is the fifth-largest crude oil-producing state, with 90% of production coming from Weld County.
Colorado was the seventh-largest natural gas-producing state in 2021.
Since 2010, Colorado's renewable electricity net generation has more than tripled and accounted for 35% of the state's total generation in 2021. Wind power accounted for almost four-fifth of the state's renewable electricity generation in 2021.
Colorado ranks seventh among the states in total energy production, and its per capita total energy consumption is lower than two-thirds of the states.
As of January 2022, Colorado had more than 3,500 public electric vehicle fast-charging ports, the eighth-highest among the states.

Last Updated: April 21, 2022

Consumption by Source
Consumption by Sector
Production
Electricity
Prices

Data

Last Update: March 16, 2023 | Next Update: April 20, 2023

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Energy Indicators
Demography	Colorado	Share of U.S.	Period
Population	5.8 million	1.8%	2021
Civilian Labor Force	3.2 million	1.9%	Jan-23
Economy	Colorado	U.S. Rank	Period
Gross Domestic Product	$ 421.9 billion	16	2021
Gross Domestic Product for the Manufacturing Sector	$ 27,750 million	29	2021
Per Capita Personal Income	$ 69,016	10	2021
Vehicle Miles Traveled	48,642 million miles	24	2020
Land in Farms	31.8 million acres	9	2017
Climate	Colorado	U.S. Rank	Period
Average Temperature	46.1 degrees Fahrenheit	37	2022
Precipitation	16.5 inches	42	2022

Prices
Petroleum	Colorado	U.S. Average	Period	find more
Domestic Crude Oil First Purchase	$ 74.91 /barrel	$ 76.45 /barrel	Dec-22
Natural Gas	Colorado	U.S. Average	Period	find more
City Gate	$ 8.65 /thousand cu ft	$ 7.68 /thousand cu ft	Dec-22	find more
Residential	$ 13.05 /thousand cu ft	$ 14.75 /thousand cu ft	Dec-22	find more
Coal	Colorado	U.S. Average	Period	find more
Average Sales Price	$ 46.02 /short ton	$ 36.50 /short ton	2021
Delivered to Electric Power Sector	$ 3.41 /million Btu	$ 2.65 /million Btu	Dec-22
Electricity	Colorado	U.S. Average	Period	find more
Residential	14.24 cents/kWh	14.96 cents/kWh	Dec-22	find more
Commercial	11.48 cents/kWh	12.42 cents/kWh	Dec-22	find more
Industrial	8.60 cents/kWh	8.63 cents/kWh	Dec-22	find more

Reserves
Reserves	Colorado	Share of U.S.	Period	find more
Crude Oil (as of Dec. 31)	1,469 million barrels	3.6%	2021	find more
Expected Future Production of Dry Natural Gas (as of Dec. 31)	19,824 billion cu ft	3.4%	2021	find more
Expected Future Production of Natural Gas Plant Liquids	1,667 million barrels	6.4%	2021	find more
Recoverable Coal at Producing Mines	284 million short tons	2.3%	2021	find more
Rotary Rigs & Wells	Colorado	Share of U.S.	Period	find more
Natural Gas Producing Wells	31,939 wells	6.6%	2020	find more
Capacity	Colorado	Share of U.S.	Period
Crude Oil Refinery Capacity (as of Jan. 1)	103,000 barrels/calendar day	0.6%	2022
Electric Power Industry Net Summer Capacity	18,084 MW	1.6%	Dec-22

Supply & Distribution
Production	Colorado	Share of U.S.	Period	find more
Total Energy	3,775 trillion Btu	3.9%	2020	find more
Crude Oil	408 thousand barrels per day	3.4%	Dec-22	find more
Natural Gas - Marketed	1,879,457 million cu ft	5.0%	2021	find more
Coal	11,875 thousand short tons	2.1%	2021	find more
Total Utility-Scale Net Electricity Generation	Colorado	Share of U.S.	Period	find more
Total Net Electricity Generation	5,345 thousand MWh	1.5%	Dec-22
Utility-Scale Net Electricity Generation (share of total)	Colorado	U.S. Average	Period
Petroleum-Fired	NM	1.0 %	Dec-22	find more
Natural Gas-Fired	28.3 %	38.8 %	Dec-22	find more
Coal-Fired	37.6 %	20.1 %	Dec-22	find more
Nuclear	0 %	19.0 %	Dec-22	find more
Renewables	34.1 %	20.4 %	Dec-22
Stocks	Colorado	Share of U.S.	Period	find more
Motor Gasoline (Excludes Pipelines)	141 thousand barrels	1.1%	Dec-22
Distillate Fuel Oil (Excludes Pipelines)	607 thousand barrels	0.7%	Dec-22	find more
Natural Gas in Underground Storage	112,423 million cu ft	1.5%	Dec-22	find more
Petroleum Stocks at Electric Power Producers	85 thousand barrels	0.4%	Dec-22	find more
Coal Stocks at Electric Power Producers	1,903 thousand tons	2.1%	Dec-22	find more
Fueling Stations	Colorado	Share of U.S.	Period
Motor Gasoline	1,552 stations	1.4%	2019
Propane	49 stations	1.8%	2022
Electricity	1,788 stations	3.3%	2022
E85	95 stations	2.1%	2022
Compressed Natural Gas and Other Alternative Fuels	34 stations	1.0%	2022

Consumption & Expenditures
Summary	Colorado	U.S. Rank	Period
Total Consumption	1,451 trillion Btu	26	2020	find more
Total Consumption per Capita	251 million Btu	34	2020	find more
Total Expenditures	$ 15,449 million	26	2020	find more
Total Expenditures per Capita	$ 2,671	44	2020	find more
by End-Use Sector	Colorado	Share of U.S.	Period
Consumption
» Residential	377 trillion Btu	1.8%	2020	find more
» Commercial	281 trillion Btu	1.7%	2020	find more
» Industrial	415 trillion Btu	1.3%	2020	find more
» Transportation	378 trillion Btu	1.6%	2020	find more
Expenditures
» Residential	$ 3,782 million	1.4%	2020	find more
» Commercial	$ 2,655 million	1.5%	2020	find more
» Industrial	$ 2,433 million	1.5%	2020	find more
» Transportation	$ 6,579 million	1.6%	2020	find more
by Source	Colorado	Share of U.S.	Period
Consumption
» Petroleum	87 million barrels	1.3%	2020	find more
» Natural Gas	499 billion cu ft	1.6%	2021	find more
» Coal	14 million short tons	2.5%	2021	find more
Expenditures
» Petroleum	$ 7,917 million	1.6%	2020	find more
» Natural Gas	$ 3,259 million	1.7%	2021	find more
» Coal	$ 408 million	1.7%	2021	find more
Consumption for Electricity Generation	Colorado	Share of U.S.	Period	find more
Petroleum	NM	NM	Dec-22	find more
Natural Gas	12,468 million cu ft	1.2%	Dec-22	find more
Coal	1,172 thousand short tons	2.8%	Dec-22	find more
Energy Source Used for Home Heating (share of households)	Colorado	U.S. Average	Period
Natural Gas	66.0 %	46.5 %	2021
Fuel Oil	0.1 %	4.1 %	2021
Electricity	26.1 %	41.0 %	2021
Propane	4.9 %	5.0 %	2021
Other/None	2.9 %	3.5 %	2021

Environment
Renewable Energy Capacity	Colorado	Share of U.S.	Period	find more
Total Renewable Energy Electricity Net Summer Capacity	7,149 MW	2.3%	Dec-22
Ethanol Plant Nameplate Capacity	140 million gal/year	0.8%	2022
Renewable Energy Production	Colorado	Share of U.S.	Period	find more
Utility-Scale Hydroelectric Net Electricity Generation	104 thousand MWh	0.5%	Dec-22
Utility-Scale Solar, Wind, and Geothermal Net Electricity Generation	1,706 thousand MWh	3.6%	Dec-22
Utility-Scale Biomass Net Electricity Generation	11 thousand MWh	0.3%	Dec-22
Small-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Generation	87 thousand MWh	2.5%	Dec-22
Fuel Ethanol Production	3,212 thousand barrels	1.0%	2020
Renewable Energy Consumption	Colorado	U.S. Rank	Period	find more
Renewable Energy Consumption as a Share of State Total	13.4 %	22	2020
Fuel Ethanol Consumption	5,178 thousand barrels	24	2020
Total Emissions	Colorado	Share of U.S.	Period	find more
Carbon Dioxide	91.7 million metric tons	1.8%	2019
Electric Power Industry Emissions	Colorado	Share of U.S.	Period	find more
Carbon Dioxide	31,128 thousand metric tons	1.9%	2021
Sulfur Dioxide	9 thousand metric tons	0.8%	2021
Nitrogen Oxide	18 thousand metric tons	1.4%	2021

Analysis

Last Updated: April 21, 2022

Overview

Colorado ranks seventh among the states in total energy production.

Colorado has abundant fossil fuel reserves and renewable energy resources.¹ Its diverse geography and geology include the headwaters of major rivers; significant wind and solar energy resources; and substantial deposits of crude oil, natural gas, and coal.^2,3,4,5 Colorado ranks seventh among the states in total energy production.⁶ Home to the tallest peaks of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado has the highest average elevation of any state at 6,800 feet.⁷ Wide plains, already more than half a mile above sea level at the Kansas border, meet the mountains that run through Colorado's center.^8,9 Nearly 9 in 10 Colorado residents live in metropolitan areas at the base of the Front Range, along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains, leaving much of the state's mountainous areas and plains sparsely populated.¹⁰

Weather fronts can move in from the west across the mountains or from the east across the plains. Temperatures vary widely, depending on elevation and season, and have reached records of 115°F on the plains and 61°F below zero in the mountains.¹¹ Colorado is a winter sports destination, and about 1 in 20 houses is occupied only seasonally.^12,13

Colorado has a diverse economy. Despite its energy intensive mining and oil and gas industries, energy consumption per dollar of Colorado's gross domestic product (GDP) is less than in about four-fifths of the states.¹⁴ Some of the largest contributors to the state's GDP are finance, insurance, and real estate; professional and business services; and government.¹⁵ As a result, Colorado's per capita total energy consumption is lower than two-thirds of the states.¹⁶ In 2019, the transportation sector was Colorado's leading energy consumer, accounting for 31% of the state's total energy use, followed closely by the industrial sector at 29%, the residential sector at 25%, and the commercial sector at 20%.¹⁷

Petroleum

Colorado ranks fifth among states and accounts for almost 4% of U.S. total crude oil production.¹⁸ The state has 3% of the nation's economically recoverable crude oil reserves.¹⁹ In 2021, Colorado produced about four times more crude oil than in 2010, primarily from the increased use of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies.²⁰ Average monthly crude oil production declined below 10 million barrels in 2016 in part because of lower crude oil prices, but production rebounded and reached record high monthly production levels in late 2019 after oil prices rose.^21,22 However, the drop in petroleum demand and oil prices during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted crude oil output in Colorado in 2020 and in 2021, with production declining in both years.²³

About 90% of Colorado’s crude oil production comes from Weld County.

Most recent crude oil production in Colorado comes from the Niobrara Shale formation located in the Denver-Julesburg Basin in northeastern Colorado, where crude oil production in one county, Weld, is the source of almost 9 out of every 10 barrels of crude oil produced in Colorado.^24,25,26 The Wattenberg field, much of which is in Weld County, is the fourth-largest U.S. oil field based on proved crude oil reserves and ninth-largest gas field based on proved natural gas reserves.^27,28 The Piceance Basin in the western mountain region is the other primary crude oil-producing area in Colorado.^29,30

Northwestern Colorado overlays part of the Green River oil shale, a kerogen-rich formation.³¹ Kerogen is an organic material found in some sedimentary rocks that can be heated to extract crude oil.³² Although pilot oil shale projects were attempted in the area, obtaining crude oil from kerogen was not economically viable.^33,34,35

Colorado has two operating petroleum refineries, located in the Denver area. Those refineries can process 103,000 barrels of crude oil per calendar day into motor gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt, jet fuel, and other petroleum products.³⁶ Upgrades to the refineries have enabled them to make refined products that meet clean fuel standards and process more crude oil from Canada's tar sands.³⁷ With crude oil production from the Niobrara Shale increasing and exceeding refining capacity, more pipelines are being built or repurposed to move Colorado crude oil to refineries out of state.³⁸ Demand for refined petroleum products in Colorado is about two-and-a-half times more than the state's refining capacity.^39,40 Several petroleum product pipelines, primarily from Wyoming, Texas, and Kansas, help supply the Colorado market, and refined products are also brought in by rail and truck.^{41,42,43,44,45}

The transportation sector accounts for more than four-fifths of all petroleum consumed in Colorado, and the industrial sector uses most of the rest.⁴⁶ The Denver-Boulder and Fort Collins metropolitan areas use oxygenated motor gasoline to limit smog formation.^47,48 The rest of the state is allowed to use conventional motor gasoline.⁴⁹ Colorado has four ethanol plants with a combined production capacity of 143 million gallons per year. Those facilities mainly use corn as their feedstock.^50,51 The state's smallest ethanol plant, located in Golden, uses a brewery's waste beer as its feedstock.⁵²

In April 2019, Colorado's governor signed legislation that changed the way the state regulates its crude oil and natural gas industry.⁵³ The law gives counties and municipalities increased regulatory authority over crude oil and natural gas development in their jurisdictions. Local governments have the authority to regulate the location of new crude oil and natural gas production facilities as well as the effects of production, such as land use and surface impacts, including noise.⁵⁴ The law also gives local governments the authority to inspect crude oil and natural gas facilities; impose fines for leaks, spills, and emissions; and impose fees to fully cover regulatory costs.⁵⁵

Natural gas

Colorado has the seventh- largest natural gas reserves in the United States.

Colorado has the seventh-largest natural gas reserves of any state, accounting for 4% of the U.S. total.⁵⁶ It is the eighth-largest natural gas-producing state in the nation.⁵⁷ Colorado's marketed natural gas output more than doubled since 2000.⁵⁸ Colorado is home to all or part of 11 of the nation's 100 largest natural gas fields.⁵⁹

Colorado's largest natural gas-producing regions are in the Denver-Julesburg Basin in the northeast and in the Piceance Basin in the west.⁶⁰ As natural gas prices fluctuate, some drilling activity moved from the Piceance, which produces mainly dry natural gas, to the Denver-Julesburg Basin, which produces higher-value crude oil and natural gas liquids.^61,62 The San Juan Basin that stretches across the Colorado-New Mexico border is also a major natural gas-producing area, though output there has declined in recent years.⁶³

Colorado is also a major producer of coalbed methane gas, which is a type of natural gas extracted from coal seams.⁶⁴ Production of coalbed methane gas grew rapidly in the 1990s and usually accounted for about one-third of Colorado's total marketed natural gas production during that period. Lower natural gas prices make some coalbed methane wells uneconomical, and production of coalbed methane declined about 50% since 2010.⁶⁵ However, Colorado remains the top coalbed methane-producing state, accounting for almost two-fifths of U.S. production in 2020.⁶⁶ The San Juan and Raton Basins, located in the southern part of the state, produce nearly all of Colorado's coalbed methane.⁶⁷

The residential and electric power sectors are Colorado's largest consumers of natural gas, each accounting for about one-third of the state's natural gas demand.⁶⁸ About 7 out of 10 Colorado households use natural gas as their primary home heating source.⁶⁹ Consumption of natural gas for electricity generation reached a new high in 2020, but declined by 21% in 2021 primarily due to a significant increase in natural gas prices.^70,71 The state uses only about one-fifth of the natural gas it produces.^72,73

Several major interstate pipelines cross Colorado and ship natural gas to six U.S. states.^74,75 The state has two natural gas trading hubs at interstate pipeline interconnections.⁷⁶ The larger Cheyenne hub, near the Colorado-Wyoming border, is located in the Denver-Julesburg Basin, and the White River hub is located in the Piceance Basin.^77,78 In June 2020, the Cheyenne Connector natural gas pipeline entered service, adding 1.6 billion cubic feet per day of throughput capacity and increasing natural gas deliveries from eastern Colorado into the Cheyenne hub. Additionally, the Cheyenne Hub Enhancement Project increased interconnectivity and deliverability between the Rockies Express Pipeline and interstate transmission systems.⁷⁹ Colorado has some underground natural gas storage facilities with 10 fields and just over 141 billion cubic feet of combined storage capacity, equal to 1.5% of the U.S. total. The state's storage capacity increased by one-third since 2010.⁸⁰

Coal

Colorado ranks eighth among the states in estimated recoverable coal reserves.^81,82 The state produces coal from both underground and surface mines. Currently, mining is focused in the Green River, Piceance, and San Juan Basins.⁸³ Colorado's coal is used almost entirely for electricity generation, but the market for the state's coal has decreased and several Colorado mines have closed as the share of U.S. electricity generated by coal-fired power plants continues to decline.^84,85,86,87 Although Colorado's coal production increased for the first time in six years in 2017, due to an increase in foreign demand for U.S. coal, production continues to decline.^88,89,90 In 2018, Colorado coal producers exported almost 25% of the state's mined coal to other countries, but exports declined to 7% in 2020.⁹¹ Almost two-thirds of the coal mined in Colorado is used for power generation within the state. Coal is also transported for electric power generation or used at industrial plants in 16 other states.⁹²

Electricity

Colorado’s electricity generation from renewable energy sources more than tripled between 2010 and 2021.

Coal-fired power plants provided just over two-thirds of Colorado's electricity net generation in 2010, but coal's share has steadily declined since then, reaching a low of just over one-third in 2020. However, in 2021, Colorado's electricity net generation from coal-fired plants increased by 21% from the year before and provided just over two-fifths of the state's generation.⁹³ Higher natural gas prices in 2021 helped make coal-fired generation more economical.⁹⁴ Still, Colorado's power plant operators plan to replace some coal-fired capacity with generating capacity from natural gas and renewable energy sources due to economic and regulatory considerations.^95,96,97 By 2025, 1,164 megawatts of coal-fired generating capacity in Colorado is scheduled to be retired.⁹⁸ Renewable energy provided slightly more than one-third of the state's electricity net generation in 2021. Since 2010, Colorado's renewable electricity net generation has more than tripled. In 2021, the share of natural gas-fired generation fell to one-fourth of the state's total electricity generation, marking the first decline since 2017.⁹⁹

Colorado does not have any nuclear power plants.¹⁰⁰ The state does have some uranium deposits, but no uranium was mined in 2020.^101,102 A proposed uranium mill in western Colorado is still being considered.¹⁰³

Colorado uses less electricity per capita than three-fourths of the states.¹⁰⁴ The commercial and residential sectors are the largest consumers of electricity in Colorado, each accounting for nearly two-fifths of the state's total power use, followed by the industrial sector at just over one-fourth.¹⁰⁵ Almost one in four Colorado households use electricity as the main home heating source.¹⁰⁶ Typically, total electricity consumption slightly exceeds in-state generation.¹⁰⁷ The state receives electricity from Wyoming, Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah, and Kansas over high voltage interstate transmission lines.¹⁰⁸ In February 2022, Colorado utility regulators approved a proposal to add 560 miles of high-voltage transmission lines in the Eastern Plains, which includes the high population cities of Denver and Fort Collins.¹⁰⁹

In 2018, Colorado launched the Electric Vehicle (EV) Fast-Charging Corridor grant program to develop EV fast-charging infrastructure in the state to promote the adoption of EVs.^110,111 Colorado currently has more than 1,500 public charging stations with over 3,500 EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) ports (DC Fast and Level 2), ranking eighth among states.^112,113 Colorado is 1 of 12 states that adopted the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program.¹¹⁴ The ZEV program requires automakers to sell a specific number of no or low-emissions vehicles and invest in clean technology.¹¹⁵

Renewable energy

Colorado ranks seventh nationwide in installed wind power capacity.

In 2019, Colorado's governor proposed a plan for 100% of the state's electricity generation to come from renewable resources by 2040.^116,117 In 2021, Colorado's electricity net generation from renewable energy accounted for 35% of the state's total generation. At 77%, wind power accounted for the largest share of renewable net electricity generation, followed by utility-scale and small scale solar combined, at 14%, hydroelectric power at 8%, and biomass at 1%.¹¹⁸

Colorado has significant wind energy resources on its eastern plains and mountain crests and ranks seventh nationwide in installed wind power capacity.^119,120 The state's use of wind power was four times greater in 2021 than it was in 2010.¹²¹ In 2021, two new wind power projects added 309 megawatts of capacity, bringing Colorado's total wind generating capacity to 5,019 megawatts. An additional 326 megawatts of wind capacity are planned to be added by 2024.^122,123

Colorado has substantial solar resources, especially in the south near the New Mexico border.¹²⁴ In 2021, Colorado ranked 13th among the states in utility-scale solar power-generating capacity with 1,054 megawatts installed, with an additional 750 megawatts of solar power capacity scheduled to come online by the end of 2022.^125,126 Small-scale, customer-sited solar power generating systems (less than 1 megawatt in capacity) continue to grow and accounted for almost two-fifth of the state's total solar generation in 2021.^127,128 Colorado offers rebates and tax incentives to encourage homeowners and businesses to install solar panels, including community solar gardens, which are collections of solar panels shared by several residences.^129,130,131 The Bureau of Land Management established the Solar Energy Program for six southwestern states. Four areas in Colorado were identified as Solar Energy Zones (SEZ) that are well suited for utility-scale solar development.^132,133

Colorado has 71 small hydroelectric generators, ranging in size from 500 kilowatts to 180 megawatts, with a total installed capacity of 1,272 megawatts.¹³⁴ According to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the state has the potential to develop more than 30 new small hydropower projects using existing infrastructure.¹³⁵ Colorado negotiated an agreement with the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to streamline the licensing process for small hydropower facilities.¹³⁶ The Colorado Energy Office created the Energy Recovery Hydropower Initiative and a small hydropower grant and loan financing program to assist potential developers.¹³⁷

Colorado's only utility-scale woody biomass plant came online in 2013 and initially burned waste gathered from surrounding forests, taking trees culled as part of efforts to fight pine beetle infestation.^138,139 The state also provides tax breaks to promote biomass generation from anaerobic digestion, which burns the gas produced from livestock manure or food waste to generate electricity.^140,141

Colorado has a number of hot springs, and studies indicate that the state has significant geothermal energy potential.¹⁴² Some federal lands in the state have been leased for geothermal projects.¹⁴³ The state's geothermal resources are mainly used for heating or cooling homes, businesses, recreational pools, and Colorado's state capitol building in Denver, but there are currently no utility-scale projects that generate electricity with geothermal energy.^144,145,146

In 2004, Colorado became the first state with a voter-approved renewable portfolio standard (RPS). The legislature increased the requirements several times, and the RPS now requires 30% of electricity sold by investor-owned utilities to be generated from renewable energy sources by 2020 and each following year, with 3% from small-scale distributed generation. Separate requirements apply to municipal and cooperative electricity suppliers, depending on their size.¹⁴⁷ Xcel Energy, the state's largest investor-owned utility, met this 30% requirement in 2019.^148,149 In January 2021, Colorado released its Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap detailing how the state plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 26% from 2005 levels by 2025, 50% by 2030, and 90% by 2050.¹⁵⁰

Endnotes

¹ Colorado Energy Office, Energy in Colorado, accessed March 7 2022.
² U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, WINDExchange, Wind Energy in Colorado, accessed March 7, 2022.
³ Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, Public Utilities Commission, Colorado National Rankings - 2021, accessed March 7, 2022.
⁴ Colorado Geological Survey, Geology, accessed March 7, 2022.
⁵ Colorado Geological Survey, Non-renewable Energy, accessed March 7, 2022.
⁶ U.S. EIA, "Colorado ranks seventh among states with the most energy production," Today in Energy (July 23, 2020).
⁷ Colorado Tourism, Colorado Travel Fact, accessed March 22, 2022.
⁸ U.S. Geological Survey, Region 7: Upper Colorado Basin, accessed March 7, 2022.
⁹ Colorado Tourism Office, Colorado Mountains: 6 Famous Peaks, updated January 7, 2022.
¹⁰ U.S. Census Bureau, Colorado: 2020 Census, Colorado Among Fastest-Growing States Last Decade, August 25,2021.
¹¹ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Climate at a Glance, Statewide, accessed March 7, 2022.
¹² U.S. Census Bureau, Census Reporter, Colorado, Table B25004, ACS 2019 1-year.
¹³ U.S. Census Bureau, Census Reporter, Colorado, Table B25002, ACS 2019 1-year.
¹⁴ U.S. EIA, State Energy Data Systems, Table C10, Total Energy Consumption Estimates, Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Energy Consumption per Real Dollar of GDP, Ranked by State, 2019.
¹⁵ U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Interactive Data, Regional Data, GDP and Personal Income, Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by State, GDP in current dollars (SAGDP2), NAICS, Colorado, All statistics in table, 2020, updated October 1, 2021.
¹⁶ U.S. EIA, Rankings: Total Energy Consumed per Capita, 2019.
¹⁷ U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table C11, Energy Consumption Estimates by End Use Sector, Ranked by State, 2019.
¹⁸ U.S. EIA, Crude Oil Production, Annual-Thousand Barrels per Day, 2016-21.
¹⁹ U.S. EIA, Crude Oil Proved Reserves, Reserves Changes, and Production, Proved Reserves as of 12/31, Annual, 2015-20.
²⁰ U.S. EIA, Colorado Field Production of Crude Oil, Monthly-Thousand Barrels, 1981-2021.
²¹ U.S. EIA, Crude Oil Production, Monthly-Thousand Barrels per Day, 1920-2021.
²² U.S. EIA, Petroleum & Other Liquids, Cushing, OK WTI Spot Price FOC (Dollars per Barrel), 1980-2021.
²³ U.S. EIA, Colorado Field Production of Crude Oil, Annual-Thousand Barrels, 1981-2021.
²⁴ U.S. EIA, Drilling Productivity Report, Niobrara Region, February 2022.
²⁵ Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission, COGCC Reports Portal, Monthly Oil Produced by County, 2021.
²⁶ Colorado Department of Education, Colorado Counties Map, accessed March 7, 2022.
²⁷ "Information on the Niobrara-DJ Basin," Natural Gas Intelligence Shale Daily, accessed March 7, 2022.
²⁸ American Petroleum Institute, Progress and Opportunity Colorado Natural Gas and Oil, June 2018, p. 6.
²⁹ Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission, COGCC Reports Portal, Monthly Oil Produced by County, 2021.
³⁰ U.S. Geological Survey, The Uinta-Piceance Province-Introduction to a geologic assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources, DDS-69-B, Chapter 2, accessed March 7, 2022.
³¹ U.S. Government Accountability Office, Unconventional Oil and Gas Production: Opportunities and Challenges of Oil Shale Development, GAO-12-740T (May 10, 2012).
³² U.S. EIA, Glossary, Kerogen, accessed March 7, 2022.
³³ U.S. Department of Energy, Oil Shale Research in the United States, 3rd Edition, September 2011.
³⁴ Colson, John, "Shell shuts down oil shale pilot project near Rifle," Post Independent (September 26, 2013).
³⁵ Peixe, Joao, "ExxonMobil Takes Step Forward on Colorado Oil Shale," OilPrice.com (March 28, 2014).
³⁶ U.S. EIA, Refinery Capacity Report (June 25, 2021), Table 1, Number and Capacity of Operable Petroleum Refineries by PAD District and State as of January 1, 2021.
³⁷ Suncor Energy Inc., Refining, Commerce City Refinery, accessed March 7, 2022.
³⁸ U.S. EIA, Today in Energy, "EIA's liquids pipeline database provides detail on U.S. petroleum infrastructure changes,", June 11, 2020.
³⁹ U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table F16, Total Petroleum Consumption Estimates, 2019.
⁴⁰ U.S. EIA, Refinery Capacity Report (June 25, 2021), Table 1, Number and Capacity of Operable Petroleum Refineries by PADD District and State as of January 1, 2021.
⁴¹ U.S. Department of Energy, Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, State of Colorado, Energy Sector Risk Profile, Petroleum, p. 4-5, accessed March 7, 2022.
⁴² Magellan Midstream Partners LP, Asset Map, see Refined Products Assets, Product Availability Refined Pipeline, accessed March 9, 2022.
⁴³ Sinclair Oil Corp., What We Do, see Transportation, accessed March 9, 2022.
⁴⁴ Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission, GIS Online, see Flowlines, accessed March 9, 2022.
⁴⁵ Colorado Information Marketplace, Crude Oil Rail Terminals in Colorado 2014, accessed March 9, 2021.
⁴⁶ U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table F16, Total Petroleum Consumption Estimates, 2019.
⁴⁷ Colorado Secretary of State, Code of Colorado Regulations, Regulation Number 13 Reduction of Carbon Monoxide Emissions from Gasoline Powered Motor Vehicles Through the use of Oxygenated Gasolines, 5 CCR 1001-16, accessed March 9, 2022.
⁴⁸ American Petroleum Institute, U.S. Gasoline Requirements, as of January 2018.
⁴⁹ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Gasoline Standards, see Gasoline Programs: Gasoline Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) and Gasoline Winter Oxygenates, accessed March 9, 2022.
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⁵¹ U.S. EIA, U.S. Fuel Ethanol Plant Production Capacity (September 3, 2021), Detailed nameplate capacity of fuel ethanol plants by Petroleum Administration for Defense District (PADD District) are available in XLS.
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Other Resources

Energy-Related Regions and Organizations

Coal Region: Western
Petroleum Administration for Defense District (PADD): 4
North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) ERO Enterprise: Regional Entities: Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC)