This incident is currently in a recovery phase. 

Background:  At approximately 5:50 p.m. on Sunday, April 6, 2025, Chevron notified the Galeton Fire Protection Disctrict (GFPD) of an incident at an oil and gas facility south of Weld County Road 74. The Weld County Office of Emergency Management in support of Chevron, assisted the GFPD in the response and recovery efforts of the Bishop Well Incident. Multiple agencies and more than 300 people are actively working on the response and recovery of this event.

This page serves as a repository of information for those impacted by the event and the general public. A list of all news updates can be viewed here.

It is too soon to pinpoint the exact cause of the incident. We are conducting an investigation and will provide updates on our findings. Based on the limited information available now, it appears that during routine operations, a failure of surface equipment resulted in the release of water, oil, and gas.  

• Air quality monitoring have been ongoing, and the results have been below levels of concern, and no public health effects are expected. There are currently 7 air monitors on-location and 5 off-location remote monitoring stations.

• Pairs of Rapid Assessment Teams and Sampling Groups have been deployed to conduct visual impact assessments on all water bodies, ditches, land, and private residences within a 1-mile radius from the incident. Groundwater well sampling has also begun.
• Impacted wildlife areas are being assessed with the help of a Chevron wildlife specialist and supporting regulatory agencies.
• The Greeley Canal clean-up is nearly complete. On-site soil testing for the presence of contamination have confirmed the successful removal of impacted soils along the channel bottom and sidewalls. We continue testing along the restored sections.
• Reclamation efforts along Willow Creek continue. We continue to work under the direction of state and federal regulatory agencies.

Immediate action was taken to assess the safety of employees, contractors, and the public. More than 340 people mobilized to support the response effort. Unfortunately, one contractor employee was injured and treated at a local medical facility. All other personnel are accounted for. 

As we are now in the recovery phase, a Unified Command has stepped down and transitioned into a Chevron response with oversight from the Energy and Carbon Management Commission’s (ECMC) authority. The Unified Command was comprised of Weld County Office of Emergency Management, Chevron, Galeton Fire Protection District, and the Environmental Protection Agency. 

Our priority remains the safety and security of our neighbors, our workers, and the environment. Air quality monitoring has been ongoing, and the results have been below levels of concern.  

As a precaution, some residents within a half-mile of the well pad were temporarily relocated. We are working with those residents and Weld County to conduct air monitoring, any necessary cleaning, and return residents to their homes.  

Chevron maintains ongoing communication with impacted homeowners and remains committed to supporting their safety and return home. Roughly 75-100 people contracted by Chevron showed up to help move the items from the Galeton Elementary School to a temporary location at Benjamin Eaton Elementary School. They assisted in packing, loading, and unloading hundreds of boxes to the appropriate temporary rooms. We are also currently evaluating mental health services to offer to the impacted parties.

If you have any questions, please contact coloradoinfo@chevron.com or call 303-318-6100. 

For additional resources and updates, please visit our partner agencies: Weld County, EPA, and ECMC.

Updated: April 18, 2025