Texas-based oil and gas producer Anadarko Petroleum Corp. is shutting down a natural gas gathering system in northern Colorado due to safety concerns, The Denver Post reported May 31.
Anadarko will be closing the Third Creek gathering system primarily for safety, but according to a court filing, it is also approaching the end of its usable life. The company has no plans to upgrade the system so it can continue service, the report said.
The shutdown announcement comes a week following a settlement the company made with victims of the 2017 explosion in Firestone, Colo., which killed two and injured one. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, The Denver Post said in a separate report. However, the system shutdown is not related to the Firestone explosion or to the settlement, according to Anadarko spokeswoman Jennifer Brice.
"We recognize this may create hardships for some producers that utilize the system; however, our commitment to safety and the environment must take precedence," Brice said in a statement.
The shutdown is expected to cause well shutdowns for producers with contracts on the system, the report said.
