ECMC - Permitting Supervisor PSRS IV

Position Summary:This position along with the other Permitting Supervisor will coordinate the reviews of various hearing applications. They will oversee the Permit/Completions Specialists review and approval of the application as appropriate. It oversees the reviews to ensure the hearing applications are processed by the reviewer in a timely manner. This position is also a primary contact for ECMC employees Operators and other stakeholders to interpret and apply the laws Commission rules regulations orders and policies concerning the creation of units and the pooling and permitting of wells.

Supervise Permitting Workgroup:

• This position screens all incoming Applications for Permit to Drill (APD) Drilling Completion reports Completed Interval reports Sundry Notices Certificates of Clearance as well as Well Abandonment reports and assigns the application/report to a Permit/Completions Specialist or will do the review themselves based on its geographic location the complexity of the well construction the 1041* status of the application and known current work loads among its direct reports. Once assigned the supervisor will track the progress of the application/report reviews and may reassign a review or do the review themselves based on the overall workload of the group. In addition to distributing the workload including performing the same tasks assigned to its direct reports this position reviews for accuracy the permit applications completion reports and other application/report reviews being performed by the Permit/Completions Specialists. This position is also the director designated staff expert to assist with and/or authority to issue the final approval to drill a well.

• This position will be responsible for the performance management of their assigned direct reports this includes all performance management planning handling performance issues with individual employees and assigning/delegating tasks outside the normally assigned work. They will assist in Unit specific projects process improvement projects and represent the ECMC across various platforms including meetings conferences stakeholder engagement public outreach agency requests rulemaking and implementation.

Manage Application of Rules & Policies:

As an authority on regulatory compliance with rules spacing orders and policies governing well permitting and completions reporting provide guidance and information to Permitting Group staff as well as other internal staff Operators surface owners minerals owners local governments and the general public regarding these matters. Resolve rule and order exceptions for unique situations. Evaluate any operation in a unique situation that is an exception to a rule or order and propose a resolution which ensures no parties will be adversely impacted.

• Develop and maintain a catalogue of Conditions of Approval and Best Management Practices to use in the well permitting and abandonment process.

• Assist staff in the analysis of compliance during the review of drilling permit applications including the consideration of exception and variance requests.

• Assist staff in the analysis of compliance during the review of completions and production reports.

• Advise Hearings Unit on applications for spacing as to concurrence with rules and existing orders and wells and impact on future development of oil and gas resources.

• Provide appropriate explanations to persons contacting the ECMC regarding the application of rules orders and policies.

• Advise surface owners local governments mineral owners and Operators of laws rules private agreements and of their rights and recourse for the infringement of their rights with respect to oil and gas development.

• Explain to stakeholders about the procedures for oil and gas well drilling and production the concepts of well spacing and how the application of Commission rules and policies protects public health safety and welfare and the environment

Geological Geographical and PostConstruction Consultations:

This position provides geological geographical and postconstruction review of applications to modify Spacing and/or Pooling Orders and other matters set for Hearing before the Commission. The review determines whether the application will comply with previously established Orders and whether the application geologically or geographically infringes on the correlative mineral rights of others. It is also the primary liaison to Operators and the public regarding: general geological and geographical questions related to the production of oil and gas in Colorado; Commission rules Orders or Policies that might impact contemplated or submitted applications; and accessing and understanding geologic and geographic information maintained by the Commission.

• Provide the Commission with a comprehensive understanding of the geological and geographical extent of existing Spacing and Pooling Orders affected by an application;

• Provide the Commission with a professional geological and geographical opinion as to the impact of the application on correlative mineral rights;

• Verify for the Commission the application adheres to the Rules and established Orders of the Commission;

• Consult directly with Operators to provide guidance on how Commission Orders rules and policy impact their application to produce minerals;

• Consult directly with Operators and the public regarding data available on the website how to access and use the various forms and how to search for information;

• Consult directly with Operators and the public regarding geologic information such as:

• Available seismic survey information;

• Stratigraphic and areal extent of the geologic formations in Colorado;

• Geologic and geographic impact of spacing orders on mineral rights;

• Consult directly with Operators and the public regarding the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) and associated geographic data specifically digital Geographic Information System (GIS) data and how to use the mapping tools provided by the Colorado Oil & Gas Information System (COGIS) maintained by the Commission; and

• Monitor and participate in the Commission rulemaking process.

Review Final Permits and Reports:

Once a permit review has been completed by a Permit/Completions Specialist this position is responsible for conducting the final review and either issuing the permit or consulting on the Final Approval of the permit by the Director or Deputy Director. This involves:

• Making sure appropriate conditions of approval have been assigned;

• Confirm that spacing orders and Commission rules were followed;

• Evaluate and verify that the Operator has accurately reported the geographic location of the well at the surface as well as the depth and location of the top of the producing zone and the bottom of the hole;

• Review the asdrilled GIS track against the data file submitted to make sure the Operator has correctly plotted the geographical and geological track of the well;

• Confirm the information submitted is consistent with other reporting requirements such as production reports etc.

Review noncompliance issues and violations identified by the Permitting Group and other work groups that relate to rules spacing orders and policies governing well permitting and completions reporting. Pursue compliance by establishing requirements for an Operator to gain voluntary compliance where appropriate or initiate enforcement action against Operators that do not abate violations and for willful and repeated violations by an Operator. Testify at Commission hearings with respect to violations.

• Assist staff in the evaluation of noncompliance by identifying what additional data is required and analyzing it when obtained

• Identify and consider past violations in order to establish repeated violations

• Contact other workgroups as needed to discuss current and past violations

• Discuss violation with Enforcement Unit

• Contact Operator and discuss all aspects of noncompliance situation

• Determine whether the violation was intentional

• Determine what options exist to resolve a violation

• Current or former State experience relevant to this position.
• Demonstrated experience researching analyzing and interpreting the law (State and Federal) constitutions statutes rules conceptual models professional standards and legal precedents in order to determine their relationship to the question or policy at issue.
• Excellent analytical and organizational skill as well as the ability to operate in a politically sensitive environment.
• Working with general public professional consultants and staff with sensitivity to their needs priorities and commitments.
• Experience with oil and gas pooling and spacing issues leasing surface use agreements or similar Landman duties.
• Technical background in the oil and gas industry in order to understand the scientific and technical concepts involved in the matters.
• Excellent problem solving logic.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Experience with QA/QC practices.

• Must be a Colorado resident at time of employment.
• You must be legally eligible to work in the United States to be appointed to this position. DNR does not sponsor nonresidents of the United States