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Glossary
8(g)
The 8(g) zone is the offshore region within three miles of a state shoreline. A portion (27%) of revenue from production in the 8(g) zone is distributed to the respective states that border the zone. The 8(g) zone is named for the section within the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act that designates it.
Abandoned mine land fee
A fee for current day coal production that funds reclamation of mines abandoned before 1977.
Accounting year
This data is based on transactions that were reported to and accepted into ONRR’s financial system in a given a year. Since companies are allowed to adjust and correct data up to seven years after a transaction takes place, accounting year data can include corrections for sales that took place in previous years. This data is most useful when analyzing dollars ONRR collected and disbursed in a given year.
Acquired lands
Acquired lands are public lands that were obtained by the federal government through purchase, condemnation, gift, or exchange.
Acquisition fee
A fee for securing an uncompetitive lease in place of a bonus.
Annual fee
A yearly maintenance fee for maintaining a claim.
APD
Application for permit to drill
Appropriation
There are two main congressional actions that result in federal spending: authorization and appropriation. A fund or recipient may be authorized to receive money during the federal budget process, but Congress must still designate a specific amount to be distributed to the fund or recipient. This process is called “appropriation”.
Authorization
An act of Congress to obligate funding for a program or agency. An authorization may be effective for one year, a fixed number of years, or an indefinite period. An authorization may be for a definite amount of money or for 'such sums as may be necessary.' The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization and then appropriation.
Barrel
In the U.S., an oil barrel is defined as 42 US gallons, and abbreviated as bbl.
bbl
Abbreviation for a unit of measurement of oil. One bbl, or oil barrel, is defined as 42 US gallons.
Biomass
Organic nonfossil matter used as fuel. Sources of biomass include wood, wood waste products, biofuel, and many plant-based materials.
BLM
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and manages exploration, development, and production of natural resources on federal lands.
BOEM
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and is responsible for managing the development of energy and mineral resources on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.
Bonus
The amount the highest bidder paid for a natural resource lease.
BSEE
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and is charged with promoting safety, protecting the environment, and conserving resources offshore through regulatory oversight and enforcement.
Calendar year (CY)
The calendar year runs from January 1 through December 31. The two annual time periods for reporting data are calendar year and fiscal year.
Claim-staking fee
A fee that covers the government’s administrative costs in the claim-staking process for mining on federal lands.
Coastal political subdivision
A state's political subdivision, such as a county, parish, borough, or city. The political subdivision must be within the coastal zone as defined in the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972.
Civil society
People and organizations not associated with industry or government, such as trade unions, issue-based coalitions, faith-based organizations, indigenous-peoples movements, the media, think tanks, and foundations.
Crude oil
Oil is that is not treated or refined.
Direct use
Geothermal energy (hot water near the surface of the earth) can be used directly for heating buildings, drying crops, heating water, and other industrial processes.
Disbursement
After collecting revenue from natural resource extraction, the Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) distributes that money to different agencies, funds, and local governments for public use. This process is called “disbursement.”
Dry natural gas
Natural gas that remains after removing the liquefiable hydrocarbon portion from the gas stream (i.e., gas after lease, field, or plant separation) and after removing any quantities of nonhydrocarbon gases that render the gas unmarketable.
DOI
The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) is a Cabinet-level agency responsible for managing America’s natural and cultural resources.
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
A document intended to provide decision makers and the public with information about the potential impacts of major federal actions and alternatives to them. Federal agencies prepare an EIS if a proposed federal action is determined to significantly affect the quality of the human environment, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
EITI Standard
The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Standard is an international standard for openness around the management of revenue from natural resources. Governments disclose how much they receive from extractive companies operating in their country and these companies disclose how much they pay. Governments sign up to implement the EITI Standard and must meet seven requirements. In 2017, the U.S. withdrew from EITI as an Implementing Country, but remains committed to institutionalizing the EITI principles of transparency and accountability.
Extractive industry
Oil, gas, and mining industries that extract natural resources.
Fair market value
The estimated price for a natural resource lease, based on the government’s analysis and the geological resources on the lands or waters.
Federal land
Lands and waters owned by the federal government, including public domain lands, acquired lands, and the Outer Continental Shelf.
Fiscal year (FY)
The federal government’s fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30. The two annual time periods for reporting data are calendar year and fiscal year.
Fossil fuel
An energy source formed in the Earth’s crust from decayed organic material. Common fossil fuels include oil, gas, and coal.
Fractionation
The division of ownership among multiple individuals.
GOMESA
The Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) of 2006 directs a portion of revenue from gulf oil and gas royalties to the states of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The act also directs a portion of gulf revenue be disbursed to the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Gross domestic product (GDP)
A measure of the total value of goods and services produced in a specific area. The Bureau of Economic Analysis measures GDP by adding up the “real value added” for each industry that contributes to the U.S. economy.
Hydraulic fracturing
A well development process that involves injecting water under high pressure into a bedrock formation through the well, to increase the size and extent of existing bedrock fractures.
IMDA
The Indian Mineral Development Act of 1982, which increased Indian self-governance concerning extraction.
Independent Administrator (IA)
The EITI International Board requires participating countries to appoint an Independent Administrator to help apply the international standards. The USEITI Independent Administrator is Deloitte & Touche LLP.
Indian lands
Lands owned by Native Americans, including tribal lands held in trust by the federal government for a tribe’s use, Indian allotments held in trust by the federal government for individual use, and lands held by Alaska Native corporations.
Kilowatt hour (kWh)
A measure of electrical energy equivalent to a power consumption of 1,000 watts for 1 hour; abbreviated as kWh.
kWh
Abbreviation for “kilowatt hour,” a measure of electrical energy equivalent to a power consumption of 1,000 watts for 1 hour.
Land and Water Conservation Fund
Provides matching grants to states and local governments to buy and develop public outdoor recreation areas across the 50 states.
Lease
A contract that allows a company to be the exclusive entity that can apply to explore for and extract natural resources within a specific tract of federal lands or waters.
Lease condensate
Light liquid hydrocarbons recovered from oil and natural gas wells during production.
Locatable minerals
Locatable minerals are minerals that may be “located” and obtained by filing a mining claim. Locatable minerals include gold, silver, copper, lead, and many other metallic and nonmetallic minerals.
long ton
A long ton (also known as “imperial ton” or “displacement ton”) is 2,240 pounds, compared to a conventional ton (or “short ton”), which is 2,000 pounds.
Margin of variance
The percentage difference that the USEITI Multi-Stakeholder Group defined as significant for each revenue type as part of the reconciliation process.
Material variance
A discrepancy between government-reported and company-reported revenue payments that is considered significant by the Independent Administrator. Margins of variance vary by revenue type, and were approved by the Multi-Stakeholder Group as part of the USEITI process.
mcf
1000 cubic feet, a unit of measure for natural gas.
Megawatt Capacity (MC) fee
A revenue payment for the calculated value of electricity generated on federal lands.
Megawatt hours
One megawatt is equivalent to one million watts. One megawatt hour (abbreviated as Mwh) is equivalent to 1,000 Kilowatt hours.
Metric ton
One metric ton is equal to 2240 pounds. To convert metric tons to tons, multiply by 1.1023. To convert tons to metric tons, multiply by 0.9072.
Millage tax
A millage tax is a property tax based on the assessed value of a property. Millage tax rates are quantified in terms of mills: One mill is worth 1/1000 of a dollar, or $0.001.
Mill levy
A mill levy is calculated by determining how much revenue each taxing jurisdiction will need for the upcoming year, then dividing that projection by the total value of the property within the area.
Mill rate
A mill rate is the amount of tax payable per dollar on the assessed value of a property. Each mill is worth one-tenth of a cent, or $0.001.
Mineral acres
Sometimes the land’s surface owner is different from the owner of the minerals in the ground below. For instance, a state might retain mineral rights when it sells or swaps land.
Mineral resource potential
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, mineral resource potential is the likelihood for the occurrence of undiscovered mineral resources in a defined area.
Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG)
A cross-sector body comprised of members and alternates from government, industry, and civil society organizations commissioned by the Secretary of the Interior to guide and monitor EITI implementation.
Natural gas liquids (NGL)
Natural gas liquids, such as ethane, propane, and butane, are byproducts of wet natural gas. These liquid hydrocarbons are separated from the gas stream close to the well or at a processing plant.
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
The standard used by federal agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. economy.
ONRR
The Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and is responsible for collecting, disbursing, and verifying federal and Indian energy and other natural resource revenue.
Operating fee
A fee for a percentage of the anticipated value of wind energy produced on federal waters.
Outer Continental Shelf
The part of the continental shelf under federal jurisdiction, seaward of the line that marks state ownership, often three miles off a state’s coastline.
OSMRE
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and is responsible for regulating surface coal mining in the United States, as well as funding the restoration of abandoned coal mines.
OST
The Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) is part of the Department of the Interior and is responsible for stewardship of assets held in trust on behalf of American Indians.
Paying quantities
Quantities of oil or gas that are sufficient to yield a profit to the lease holder over operating expenses, even though the drilling costs or equipping costs are never recovered, and even if the undertaking as a whole may result in a loss to the lease holder.
Petroleum products
Products come from processing crude oil (including lease condensate), natural gas, and other hydrocarbon compounds. These include unfinished oils, liquefied petroleum gases, pentanes plus, aviation gasoline, motor gasoline, naphtha-type jet fuel, kerosene-type jet fuel, kerosene, distillate fuel oil, residual fuel oil, petrochemical feedstocks, special naphthas, lubricants, waxes, petroleum coke, asphalt, road oil, still gas, and miscellaneous products.
Play
A group of oil and gas fields in the same region formed by the same geological processes.
Private lands
Lands owned by citizens or corporations.
Production
We use the term “production” as a catch-all term for mining, drilling, energy generation, and other forms of natural resource extraction. There is no distinction between “extraction” and “production” in ONRR or EIA datasets.
Proved reserves
Quantities of natural resources that, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with reasonable certainty to be commercially recoverable from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions, operating methods, and government regulations.
Public domain lands
Public domain lands are lands that have belonged to the federal government since they were obtained from the 13 original colonies, from Native American tribes, or through purchases from other countries, and have not been dedicated to a specific use.
Reclamation
The process of restoring the surface environment to acceptable pre-existing conditions, including surface contouring, equipment removal, well plugging, and revegetation.
Rent
An annual payment for leasing lands or waters before production starts.
Renewable energy
Energy resources that are virtually inexhaustible in duration but limited in the amount of energy that is available per unit of time. These include biomass, hydropower, geothermal, solar, wind, ocean thermal, wave action, and tidal action energy.
Resource advisory council (RAC)
A group of 12 to 15 members with diverse interests in local communities, such as ranchers, environmental groups, tribes, state and local government officials, academics, and other public land users.
Royalty
A payment for extracted natural resources, determined by a percentage of the resources’ production value.
Standard Occupation Classification
A system used by federal statistical agencies to classify workers into occupational categories for the purpose of collecting, calculating, or disseminating data.
State or local lands
Lands owned by state or local governments.
Split estate
A land parcel that has surface rights and subsurface rights (such as the rights to develop minerals) owned by different parties.
Subsurface rights
A lease holder’s right to use as much of the land beneath the surface as necessary to operate under the lease.
Subsurface mining
Underground mining, which has different and more labor intensive techniques than surface mining.
Surface rights
A leaseholder’s right to use as much of the surface of the land as necessary to operate under the lease.
Tax expenditures
Revenue lossess attributed to provisions of federal tax laws that allow a special exclusion, exemption, or deduction from gross income, or which provide a special credit, a preferential rate of tax, or a deferral of tax liability.
Tickets/pounds
Some minerals, such as quartz crystal, are sold in relatively small quantities in gift shops and tourist attractions. In some cases, tourists can buy admission tickets to dig for their own minerals. For those transactions, the Office of Natural Resources Revenue may collect royalties on the admission tickets, not on the weight of minerals collected. Furthermore, some minerals are sold by quality, not by weight. The unit “tickets/pounds” shows quantities measured in both tickets sold and weight sold, combined.
Ton
In the U.S., one ton is 2,000 pounds. In some countries this is referred to as a short ton.
Trust land
Land for which the federal government holds title to the land but the beneficial interest remains with a Native American individual or tribe.
Unorganized land
In Alaska, over half of land is not contained in any of its 19 organized boroughs. This land (collectively called the Unorganized Borough) is divided into 10 census areas for statistical purposes.
Variance floor
During the reconciliation process, only variances between reported numbers that exceed a minimum dollar amount are investigated by the Independent Administrator.
Wet gas
Natural gas that hasn’t been treated to remove liquid hydrocarbons or other nonhydrocarbons that make the gas unmarketable.
Withheld
We refer to data as “withheld” when publishing that data could violate federal laws and regulations. Most commonly, we withhold data if it can be used to personally identify individuals, or if the data is protected by the Trade Secrets Act. In the latter case, data is often withheld when there is only one company producing a specific commodity within a specific region. We withhold all location data for Native American production, revenue, and disbursements.
Federal land represents 35.9% of all land in Colorado.
3 energy or mineral commodities were produced on federal land in Colorado in calendar year 2018.
1 commodity was withheld in 2018.
Production on federal land in Colorado resulted in $184,428,458 in calendar year 2019 revenue.
Revenue from federal land resulted in $108,050,475 disbursed from the federal government to Colorado in fiscal year 2019.
The state of Colorado chose to participate in an extended reporting process, so this page includes additional state revenue and disbursements data, as well as contextual information about state governance of natural resources.
5,429,432 tons of coal were produced on federal land in Colorado in 2018.There is no data about production of coal in 2018.
County production
County production of coal in 2018 (tons)There is no county-level data for Colorado in 2018.County-level data for 2018 is withheld.
County
tons of coal
Moffat County
2,594,866
2,594,866
Data about coal extraction on federal land in Moffat County in 2018 is withheld.2,594,866 tons of coal were produced in Moffat County in 2018.
Rio Blanco County
2,834,565
2,834,565
Data about coal extraction on federal land in Rio Blanco County in 2018 is withheld.2,834,565 tons of coal were produced in Rio Blanco County in 2018.
Gas
644,813,229 mcf of gas were produced on federal land in Colorado in 2018.There is no data about production of gas in 2018.
County production
County production of gas in 2018 (mcf)There is no county-level data for Colorado in 2018.County-level data for 2018 is withheld.
County
mcf of gas
Delta County
176,832
176,832
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Delta County in 2018 is withheld.176,832 mcf of gas were produced in Delta County in 2018.
Garfield County
171,443,158
171,443,158
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Garfield County in 2018 is withheld.171,443,158 mcf of gas were produced in Garfield County in 2018.
Gunnison County
2,263,162
2,263,162
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Gunnison County in 2018 is withheld.2,263,162 mcf of gas were produced in Gunnison County in 2018.
La Plata County
12,538,248
12,538,248
Data about gas extraction on federal land in La Plata County in 2018 is withheld.12,538,248 mcf of gas were produced in La Plata County in 2018.
Moffat County
8,602,819
8,602,819
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Moffat County in 2018 is withheld.8,602,819 mcf of gas were produced in Moffat County in 2018.
Rio Blanco County
72,091,461
72,091,461
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Rio Blanco County in 2018 is withheld.72,091,461 mcf of gas were produced in Rio Blanco County in 2018.
Routt County
6,881
6,881
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Routt County in 2018 is withheld.6,881 mcf of gas were produced in Routt County in 2018.
Arapahoe County
4,238
4,238
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Arapahoe County in 2018 is withheld.4,238 mcf of gas were produced in Arapahoe County in 2018.
Archuleta County
1,129,391
1,129,391
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Archuleta County in 2018 is withheld.1,129,391 mcf of gas were produced in Archuleta County in 2018.
Baca County
22,399
22,399
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Baca County in 2018 is withheld.22,399 mcf of gas were produced in Baca County in 2018.
Broomfield County
224
224
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Broomfield County in 2018 is withheld.224 mcf of gas were produced in Broomfield County in 2018.
Cheyenne County
80,050
80,050
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Cheyenne County in 2018 is withheld.80,050 mcf of gas were produced in Cheyenne County in 2018.
Dolores County
182,051,358
182,051,358
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Dolores County in 2018 is withheld.182,051,358 mcf of gas were produced in Dolores County in 2018.
Fremont County
90
90
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Fremont County in 2018 is withheld.90 mcf of gas were produced in Fremont County in 2018.
Huerfano County
3,685,602
3,685,602
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Huerfano County in 2018 is withheld.3,685,602 mcf of gas were produced in Huerfano County in 2018.
Jackson County
34,746
34,746
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Jackson County in 2018 is withheld.34,746 mcf of gas were produced in Jackson County in 2018.
Kiowa County
3,430
3,430
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Kiowa County in 2018 is withheld.3,430 mcf of gas were produced in Kiowa County in 2018.
Kit Carson County
2
2
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Kit Carson County in 2018 is withheld.2 mcf of gas were produced in Kit Carson County in 2018.
Larimer County
171
171
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Larimer County in 2018 is withheld.171 mcf of gas were produced in Larimer County in 2018.
Las Animas County
1,708,929
1,708,929
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Las Animas County in 2018 is withheld.1,708,929 mcf of gas were produced in Las Animas County in 2018.
Logan County
1,320
1,320
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Logan County in 2018 is withheld.1,320 mcf of gas were produced in Logan County in 2018.
Mesa County
21,150,716
21,150,716
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Mesa County in 2018 is withheld.21,150,716 mcf of gas were produced in Mesa County in 2018.
Montezuma County
153,638,978
153,638,978
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Montezuma County in 2018 is withheld.153,638,978 mcf of gas were produced in Montezuma County in 2018.
Prowers County
148
148
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Prowers County in 2018 is withheld.148 mcf of gas were produced in Prowers County in 2018.
San Miguel County
1,607,895
1,607,895
Data about gas extraction on federal land in San Miguel County in 2018 is withheld.1,607,895 mcf of gas were produced in San Miguel County in 2018.
Washington County
63,598
63,598
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Washington County in 2018 is withheld.63,598 mcf of gas were produced in Washington County in 2018.
Weld County
11,767,928
11,767,928
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Weld County in 2018 is withheld.11,767,928 mcf of gas were produced in Weld County in 2018.
Yuma County
657,392
657,392
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Yuma County in 2018 is withheld.657,392 mcf of gas were produced in Yuma County in 2018.
Adams County
17,385
17,385
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Adams County in 2018 is withheld.17,385 mcf of gas were produced in Adams County in 2018.
San Juan County
64,665
64,665
Data about gas extraction on federal land in San Juan County in 2018 is withheld.64,665 mcf of gas were produced in San Juan County in 2018.
Oil
6,510,843 barrels of oil were produced on federal land in Colorado in 2018.There is no data about production of oil in 2018.
County production
County production of oil in 2018 (bbl)There is no county-level data for Colorado in 2018.County-level data for 2018 is withheld.
County
barrels of oil
Delta County
192
192
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Delta County in 2018 is withheld.192 barrels of oil were produced in Delta County in 2018.
Garfield County
495,864
495,864
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Garfield County in 2018 is withheld.495,864 barrels of oil were produced in Garfield County in 2018.
Gunnison County
258
258
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Gunnison County in 2018 is withheld.258 barrels of oil were produced in Gunnison County in 2018.
La Plata County
50
50
Data about oil extraction on federal land in La Plata County in 2018 is withheld.50 barrels of oil were produced in La Plata County in 2018.
Moffat County
190,938
190,938
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Moffat County in 2018 is withheld.190,938 barrels of oil were produced in Moffat County in 2018.
Rio Blanco County
2,022,474
2,022,474
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Rio Blanco County in 2018 is withheld.2,022,474 barrels of oil were produced in Rio Blanco County in 2018.
Routt County
10,102
10,102
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Routt County in 2018 is withheld.10,102 barrels of oil were produced in Routt County in 2018.
Arapahoe County
1,984
1,984
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Arapahoe County in 2018 is withheld.1,984 barrels of oil were produced in Arapahoe County in 2018.
Baca County
7,440
7,440
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Baca County in 2018 is withheld.7,440 barrels of oil were produced in Baca County in 2018.
Broomfield County
7
7
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Broomfield County in 2018 is withheld.7 barrels of oil were produced in Broomfield County in 2018.
Cheyenne County
12,700
12,700
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Cheyenne County in 2018 is withheld.12,700 barrels of oil were produced in Cheyenne County in 2018.
Dolores County
13,170
13,170
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Dolores County in 2018 is withheld.13,170 barrels of oil were produced in Dolores County in 2018.
Fremont County
53
53
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Fremont County in 2018 is withheld.53 barrels of oil were produced in Fremont County in 2018.
Jackson County
45,771
45,771
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Jackson County in 2018 is withheld.45,771 barrels of oil were produced in Jackson County in 2018.
Kiowa County
2,980
2,980
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Kiowa County in 2018 is withheld.2,980 barrels of oil were produced in Kiowa County in 2018.
Kit Carson County
9
9
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Kit Carson County in 2018 is withheld.9 barrels of oil were produced in Kit Carson County in 2018.
Larimer County
1,018
1,018
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Larimer County in 2018 is withheld.1,018 barrels of oil were produced in Larimer County in 2018.
Logan County
554
554
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Logan County in 2018 is withheld.554 barrels of oil were produced in Logan County in 2018.
Mesa County
42,737
42,737
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Mesa County in 2018 is withheld.42,737 barrels of oil were produced in Mesa County in 2018.
Montezuma County
49,881
49,881
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Montezuma County in 2018 is withheld.49,881 barrels of oil were produced in Montezuma County in 2018.
San Miguel County
1,451
1,451
Data about oil extraction on federal land in San Miguel County in 2018 is withheld.1,451 barrels of oil were produced in San Miguel County in 2018.
Washington County
3,651
3,651
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Washington County in 2018 is withheld.3,651 barrels of oil were produced in Washington County in 2018.
Weld County
3,598,466
3,598,466
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Weld County in 2018 is withheld.3,598,466 barrels of oil were produced in Weld County in 2018.
Morgan County
546
546
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Morgan County in 2018 is withheld.546 barrels of oil were produced in Morgan County in 2018.
Adams County
8,539
8,539
Data about oil extraction on federal land in Adams County in 2018 is withheld.8,539 barrels of oil were produced in Adams County in 2018.
Revenue
Companies pay a wide range of fees, rates, and taxes to extract natural resources in the United States. What companies pay to federal, state, and local governments often depends on who owns the natural resources.
Federal revenue
Natural resource extraction can lead to federal revenue in two ways: non-tax revenue and tax revenue. Revenue data on this site primarily includes non-tax revenue from extractive industry activities on federal land.
Revenue from production on federal land by resource
When companies extract natural resources on federal lands and waters , they pay royalties, rents, bonuses, and other fees, much like they would to any landowner . This non-tax revenue is collected and reported by the Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR).
For details about the laws and policies that govern how rights are awarded to companies and what they pay to extract natural resources on federal land : coal, oil and gas, renewable resources, and hardrock minerals.
The federal government collects different kinds of fees at each phase of natural resource extraction . This chart shows how much federal revenue was collected in calendar year (CY)2019 for production or potential production of natural resources on federal land in Colorado, broken down by phase of production.
1. Securing rightsCompanies pay bonuses or other fees to secure rights to resources on federal land
2. Before productionCompanies pay rent on federal land while exploring for resources
3. During productionCompanies pay royalties after production begins
Other revenueMinimum or estimated royalties, settlements, and interest payments
Oil and Gas
Oil & Gas $121,236,068
$1,032,404
$1,584,935
Oil $42,324,121Gas $74,572,542NGL $5,275,605
($3,553,539)
Onshore
Bonus: The amount offered by the highest bidder
$1.50 annual rent per acre for 5 years $2 annual rent per acre thereafter
12.5% of production value
Coal
Coal $11,789,804
$942,596
$149,724
$10,610,373
$87,111
Bonus: The amount offered by the highest bidder
$3 annual rent per acre
Surface mining: 12.5% of production value + $0.28 per ton in AML fees Subsurface mining: 8% of production value + $0.12 per ton in AML fees
Geothermal
Geothermal $27,462
$0
$27,462
$0
$0
Competitive leasing
Nomination fee: $110 per nomination + $0.11 per acre Bonus: The amount offered by the highest bidder $160 processing fee
$2 per acre for the first year $3 annual rent per acre for years 2-10 $5 annual rent per acre thereafter
Electricity sales: 1.75% of gross proceeds for 10 years, then 3.5% Arm’s length sales: 10% of gross proceeds from contract multiplied by lease royalty rate More about geothermal rates
Noncompetitive leasing
Lease: $410 payment
$1 annual rent per acre for 10 years $5 annual rent per acre thereafter
Royalty rates are determined by leasing officers on an individual case basis (no minimums apply)
All commodities
All commodities $184,428,458
$1,975,000
$1,762,161
$184,138,926
($3,447,630)
Other revenue streams
Hardrock mining on public domain lands
Federal revenue from hardrock mining on public domain land occurs through the claim-staking process and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It is not included here, because the dataset does not have state-level data. Learn more about hardrock mining on federal land.
Onshore solar and wind energy
Federal revenue from onshore renewable energy generation on federal land is not included here, because that dataset, from BLM, does not have state-level data. Learn more about onshore renewables on federal land.
To see how much was collected nationwide for all revenue types, including BLM revenues, see federal revenue by company.
Revenue from production on federal land by county
Most non-tax revenue collected by ONRR comes from counties with significant natural resources on federal land.
Companies paid 184,428,458 to produce natural resources on federal land in Colorado in 2019.There is no data about revenue from natural resources on federal land in Colorado in 2019.
Revenue collected by county
Revenue by county in 2019There is no county-level data for Colorado in 2019.County-level data for 2019 is withheld.
County
Revenue
Adams County
366285
366285
Data about revenue on federal land in Adams in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 366285 to extract natural resources on federal land in Adams County in 2019.
Arapahoe County
160019
160019
Data about revenue on federal land in Arapahoe in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 160019 to extract natural resources on federal land in Arapahoe County in 2019.
Archuleta County
79815
79815
Data about revenue on federal land in Archuleta in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 79815 to extract natural resources on federal land in Archuleta County in 2019.
Baca County
28820
28820
Data about revenue on federal land in Baca in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 28820 to extract natural resources on federal land in Baca County in 2019.
Bent County
865
865
Data about revenue on federal land in Bent in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 865 to extract natural resources on federal land in Bent County in 2019.
Broomfield County
15069
15069
Data about revenue on federal land in Broomfield in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 15069 to extract natural resources on federal land in Broomfield County in 2019.
Chaffee County
2400
2400
Data about revenue on federal land in Chaffee in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 2400 to extract natural resources on federal land in Chaffee County in 2019.
Cheyenne County
12633
12633
Data about revenue on federal land in Cheyenne in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 12633 to extract natural resources on federal land in Cheyenne County in 2019.
Delta County
88548
88548
Data about revenue on federal land in Delta in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 88548 to extract natural resources on federal land in Delta County in 2019.
Dolores County
7431608
7431608
Data about revenue on federal land in Dolores in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 7431608 to extract natural resources on federal land in Dolores County in 2019.
Elbert County
1920
1920
Data about revenue on federal land in Elbert in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 1920 to extract natural resources on federal land in Elbert County in 2019.
Fremont County
1830
1830
Data about revenue on federal land in Fremont in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 1830 to extract natural resources on federal land in Fremont County in 2019.
Garfield County
44198084
44198084
Data about revenue on federal land in Garfield in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 44198084 to extract natural resources on federal land in Garfield County in 2019.
Grand County
304
304
Data about revenue on federal land in Grand in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 304 to extract natural resources on federal land in Grand County in 2019.
Gunnison County
9402360
9402360
Data about revenue on federal land in Gunnison in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 9402360 to extract natural resources on federal land in Gunnison County in 2019.
Huerfano County
305761
305761
Data about revenue on federal land in Huerfano in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 305761 to extract natural resources on federal land in Huerfano County in 2019.
Jackson County
2682380
2682380
Data about revenue on federal land in Jackson in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 2682380 to extract natural resources on federal land in Jackson County in 2019.
Kiowa County
37031
37031
Data about revenue on federal land in Kiowa in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 37031 to extract natural resources on federal land in Kiowa County in 2019.
Kit Carson County
11486
11486
Data about revenue on federal land in Kit Carson in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 11486 to extract natural resources on federal land in Kit Carson County in 2019.
La Plata County
4319766
4319766
Data about revenue on federal land in La Plata in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 4319766 to extract natural resources on federal land in La Plata County in 2019.
Larimer County
10258
10258
Data about revenue on federal land in Larimer in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 10258 to extract natural resources on federal land in Larimer County in 2019.
Las Animas County
447189
447189
Data about revenue on federal land in Las Animas in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 447189 to extract natural resources on federal land in Las Animas County in 2019.
Lincoln County
10153
10153
Data about revenue on federal land in Lincoln in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 10153 to extract natural resources on federal land in Lincoln County in 2019.
Logan County
1443
1443
Data about revenue on federal land in Logan in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 1443 to extract natural resources on federal land in Logan County in 2019.
Mesa County
8300510
8300510
Data about revenue on federal land in Mesa in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 8300510 to extract natural resources on federal land in Mesa County in 2019.
Moffat County
9312130
9312130
Data about revenue on federal land in Moffat in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 9312130 to extract natural resources on federal land in Moffat County in 2019.
Montezuma County
41613818
41613818
Data about revenue on federal land in Montezuma in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 41613818 to extract natural resources on federal land in Montezuma County in 2019.
Montrose County
80
80
Data about revenue on federal land in Montrose in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 80 to extract natural resources on federal land in Montrose County in 2019.
Morgan County
2622
2622
Data about revenue on federal land in Morgan in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 2622 to extract natural resources on federal land in Morgan County in 2019.
Park County
6640
6640
Data about revenue on federal land in Park in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 6640 to extract natural resources on federal land in Park County in 2019.
Phillips County
2202
2202
Data about revenue on federal land in Phillips in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 2202 to extract natural resources on federal land in Phillips County in 2019.
Pitkin County
33619
33619
Data about revenue on federal land in Pitkin in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 33619 to extract natural resources on federal land in Pitkin County in 2019.
Prowers County
353
353
Data about revenue on federal land in Prowers in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 353 to extract natural resources on federal land in Prowers County in 2019.
Rio Blanco County
27722286
27722286
Data about revenue on federal land in Rio Blanco in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 27722286 to extract natural resources on federal land in Rio Blanco County in 2019.
Rio Grande County
2556
2556
Data about revenue on federal land in Rio Grande in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 2556 to extract natural resources on federal land in Rio Grande County in 2019.
Routt County
325739
325739
Data about revenue on federal land in Routt in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 325739 to extract natural resources on federal land in Routt County in 2019.
San Miguel County
1258597
1258597
Data about revenue on federal land in San Miguel in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 1258597 to extract natural resources on federal land in San Miguel County in 2019.
Sedgwick County
80
80
Data about revenue on federal land in Sedgwick in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 80 to extract natural resources on federal land in Sedgwick County in 2019.
Washington County
27366
27366
Data about revenue on federal land in Washington in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 27366 to extract natural resources on federal land in Washington County in 2019.
Weld County
25886969
25886969
Data about revenue on federal land in Weld in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 25886969 to extract natural resources on federal land in Weld County in 2019.
Yuma County
316850
316850
Data about revenue on federal land in Yuma in 2019 is withheld.Companies paid 316850 to extract natural resources on federal land in Yuma County in 2019.
Federal tax revenue
Individuals and corporations (specifically C-corporations) pay income taxes to the IRS. The federal corporate income tax rate tops out at 21%. Public policy provisions, such as tax expenditures, can decrease corporate income tax and other revenue payments in order to promote other policy goals.
In 2016, the state of Colorado collected $494,669,537 in state revenue from natural resource extraction (this includes both tax and non-tax revenue). Counties also collect and distribute their own revenue from natural resource extraction.
Ad valorem taxes are collected and distributed by counties. Ad valorem taxes are reported by Production Year in Colorado.
State Royalties (In-Scope Commodities)
$108,279,122
Severance Tax
$84,079,230
Federal Mineral Royalties and Rentals
$78,156,492
Federal Coal Lease Bonuses
$5,746,847
$5,700,000
A rate imposed on the market value of all oil and natural gas produced, saved, sold, or transported to address environmental response needs. This levy is directed to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC).
Disbursements
Federal disbursements
After collecting revenue from natural resource extraction, the Office of Natural Resources Revenue distributes that money to different agencies, funds, and local governments for public use. This process is called “disbursement.”
Most federal revenue disbursements go into national funds. For detailed data about which expenditures and projects from those national funds are in Colorado, see nationwide federal disbursements.
ONRR also disburses some revenue from natural resource extraction to state governments. In 2019, ONRR disbursed $108,050,475 to Colorado.
In 2016, the state of Colorado distributed $494,669,537 in state revenue from natural resource extraction to state and local funds.
State fund
Distribution
Total
$494,669,537
Cities/Towns/Counties
$212,715,820
Permanent School Trust
$56,016,168
School Trust
$51,586,211
State Public School Fund
$37,745,734
Local Government Mineral Impact Fund
$32,587,932
Local Government Severance Tax Fund
$31,289,615
General Fund
$20,000,000
Severance Tax Perpetual Base Fund
$15,644,807
Severance Tax Perpetual Operational Fund
$15,644,807
Colorado Water Conservation Board
$7,814,852
Oil and Gas Conservation and Environmental Response Fund
$5,700,000
Local Government Permanent Fund
$2,873,423
Higher Education Maintenance and Reserve Fund
$2,873,423
Innovative Energy Fund
$1,500,000
CSU Trust
$665,391
Public Buildings Trust
$8,226
Internal Improvements (Colorado Parks and Wildlife)
$3,126
State governance
The state of Colorado participated in additional reporting about state and local natural resource governance, revenues, and disbursements.
State agencies
The state of Colorado regulates an array of activities related to natural resource extraction and interacts with the extractive industries, especially when the activity is occurring on state or private land.
The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission ensures that oil and gas wells and operations comply with state law. It is involved in all stages of extraction—issuing exploration permits, auctioning leases, addressing incidents/complaints, enforcing rules and regulations, collecting levies, etc. The commission is governed by rules and regulations, runs a data portal, and publishes reports.
The Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety works to protect the public, miners, and the environment during current mining operations. It holds responsibility for restoring abandoned mines and ensuring that all mined land is reclaimed to beneficial use. It works to achieve these goals through four major programs: coal regulatory program, minerals regulatory program, inactive mine reclamation program, and mine safety and training program. The commission is governed by rules and regulations and publishes data and reports
Climate change and greenhouse gases through mandatory reporting rules, reports, and presentations
Public health effects from oil and gas operations through reporting, community investigations, and assessments
State laws and regulations
The Colorado Constitution includes Article XVI on Mining and Irrigation, which outlines laws regulating the safety and environmental implications of extraction as well as the organizational structure charged with overseeing extractive activities.
Practice and Procedure (PDF) (2 CCR 404-1) outlines rules and regulations to prevent waste and conserve oil and gas in the state of Colorado, while protecting public health, safety, welfare, including the environment and wildlife resources
Hard Rock Metal Mining (PDF) (2 CCR 407-1) includes general provisions and requirements regarding the permit process
Control of Hazardous Air Pollutants (PDF) (5 CCR 1001-10) regulates all new sources of air pollution and all modified or reconstructed sources of air pollution, including those generated by the extraction industry
Storage Tank Regulations (PDF) (7 CCR 1101-14) outlines rules for the design, installation, registration, construction and operation of storage tanks used to store regulated substances (including petroleum)
Rules Regarding Electric Utilities (PDF) (4 CCR 723-3) describes the specific provisions applicable to public utilities, includes specific regulations related to renewable energy, and recognizes that is it in the best interest of the public to utilize and develop renewable energy resources
Fiscal costs of extractive activity
In addition to generating revenue and economic activity, extractive industries can also bring certain costs to state and local communities. In Colorado, these are concentrated in a few areas due to the fact that nearly all production occurs in just six counties: Weld, Garfield, La Plata, Adams, Rio Blanco, and Jackson. Attention to and analysis of costs is, therefore, focused on these areas.
Transportation costs
Extractive activities have resulted in not only more traffic on Colorado roads and highways, but also greater loads on the state’s transportation infrastructure. In certain areas, such as Highway 85C between Fort Lupton and Platteville, traffic has increased by 58.72% over a five year period due to oil and gas development. Additionally, according to a Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) study, the load impact of trucks used in extraction can be as much as 15,000 to 46,000 times that of a passenger car. Oil and gas loads are estimated to be 3-10% of total loads on the Colorado highway system.
According to CDOT, the estimated cost to offset the impact of the oil and gas extraction on state roads and highways ranges from $10 to $30 million, which is up to 13% of the CDOT’s annual surface treatment budget. To read more, see the CDOT study Oil and Gas Impacts on Transportation (PDF).
Water costs
Increased extraction can put added demand on both water supplies and water infrastructure in communities. This can lead to increased rates and the need for infrastructure investments. Oil and gas extraction in Colorado reported using approximately 6.7 billion gallons of water from 2011-2013. Additionally, COGCC found that extractive activities produced 304,451,972 BBL of water in 2016, 0.006% of which was spilled.
In addition to water use and production, the environmental and engineering staff of the COGCC also monitor and assess water quality in Colorado. Currently, they are investigating 22 instances of Thermogenic stray gas impacts in domestic water wells in the Denver-Julesberg basin. Additionally, the state, through the Department of Public Health and Environment, also has multiple large remediation obligations related to the extractive industry, including a total of: $57 million at Summerville Mine operating a water treatment plant, $64.8 million at Clear Creek Basin cleaning up metal mine contaminated surface water, and $5.5 million at Captain Jack Mill addressing mine waste piles and drainage. See Colorado’s Comprehensive Annual Report to read more about the state’s remediation obligations.
Emergency services
The increased population that often corresponds with increased extraction can place greater demands on the emergency medical, fire, and police services of the state, counties, and towns.
Notably, a study conducted on the extractive industry in Weld County found a 163% increase in large truck crashes and a 64% increase in fatal crashes between 2000 and 2014 (a time of major growth in active wells in the area).
Additionally, increased extractive activity has also led to increased oil and gas fires and explosions. Though the exact number of such incidents is not published by the government, general incidents and complaints can be searched through the Colorado Oil and Gas Information System. Additionally, a study conducted in 2005 found 32 incidents of active coal mine fires.
Reclamation costs
Multiple organizations in the Colorado state government work on the reclamation and remediation of sites related to extraction.
The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission oversees spill incidents associated with oil and gas exploration and production related activities. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment’s Division of Oil and Public Safety oversees cleanup of petroleum released from regulated underground storage tanks. Finally, the Colorado Department of Transportation oversees spill incidents within Colorado highways and beyond.
Colorado has not been “certified” by the federal Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Reclamation program, meaning that it has remaining high-priority abandoned coal mine areas. Reclamation efforts in Colorado are led by the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety (DRMS) which works to reclaim abandoned and inactive mines. DRMS has reclaimed 6,127 of the estimated 23,000 abandoned mines in Colorado. In 2017, Colorado received $2,793,000 from the federal AML Program, sourced from fees paid by coal mine operators, in line with the historic annual average. The average cost for closing a hazardous abandoned mine feature is $5,000. An overview of DRMS’ history and work can be found here.
Colorado currently has $75.3 million in unfunded abandoned mine land areas in need of reclamation. Priority 1 abandoned mine land (AML) areas, the highest priority, account for $41.5 million (or 55.2%) of those unfunded costs. Priority 1 AML areas are those that are necessary to reclaim in order to protect public health, safety, and property from extreme danger of adverse effects of coal mining practices pre-1977. This can include restoration of land, water, and/or the environment.
As of June 2017, $4.2 million in reclamation work was underway and $63.2 million had been completed across the three priority types.
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