Judy Pad
Dunamis Energy Operating, LLC (Dunamis) operates the Judy Pad. We acquired the site, along with several other locations in Adams and Weld Counties, in the fall of 2025, and have since worked closely with state and local agencies to update and modernize the plan.
About the Judy Pad
A hydrocarbon tankless design that eliminates 24 permanent oil storage tanks and 11 permanent water tanks, reducing both emissions and truck traffic.
Cleaner-burning engines: EPA Tier IV (or equivalent) for drilling and EPA Tier IV Final for diesel or dual fuel (or equivalent natural gas) for hydraulic fracturing.
Green completions that capture gas rather than venting or flaring it.
Real-time, continuous methane monitoring, plus continuous air monitoring through pre-production and the first year of production.
A Lidar camera on location to detect leaks in real time.
Enclosed combustion devices and electronic monitors, with flowback water hauled off-site continuously to minimize storage on location.
32-foot engineered sound walls wrapping the pad, layered at the entrance so noise doesn’t escape.
A quiet completions fleet, with equipment oriented to reduce noise.
A baseline ambient sound study before work begins, and continuous noise monitoring during pre-production.
A community information meeting before drilling and completions, with courtesy notices sent at least two weeks ahead.
A 24/7 contact line for concerns during pre-production, answered within 24 hours.
Protecting the Community
Protecting groundwater is one of our highest priorities. We are voluntarily following the ECMC’s Rule 615 baseline water-well sampling, testing nearby wells before the new wells go in, again once they’re online, and periodically after that. On-site, layered protections guard groundwater: berming and drainage, an SPCC plan, sealed tanks within secondary containment, automated shut-in, and multiple layers of steel casing and cement.
All air emissions are permitted and regulated by the CDPHE. The Judy Pad keeps emissions low through no permanent on-site oil tanks, cleaner-burning engines, green completions, and enclosed combustion devices, backed by real-time, continuous monitoring of methane and air throughout pre-production and the first year of production. To control odor, we use Group III drilling fluid, a highly refined synthetic that’s nearly odorless and far cleaner than traditional diesel-based muds.
The most noticeable activity happens during drilling and completions. To manage it, we wrap the pad in 32-foot engineered sound walls, run a quiet completions fleet, and orient equipment to limit noise. A baseline ambient sound study documents background conditions before work begins, and continuous noise monitoring runs throughout pre-production operations. Those same sound walls block light from the pad; we don’t anticipate exterior light sources such as a light plant during pre-production, and there’s no permanent lighting once the site is in production.
The approved haul route runs along East 168th Avenue (County Road 2) to Interstate 76. We manage mud and sediment with a vehicle tracking pad and regular street sweeping, and the hydrocarbon tankless design and pipeline takeaway reduce truck traffic at the source. Engine brakes are a safety feature, used only when necessary.
Colorado has some of the strictest oil and gas safety rules in the country, and the Judy Pad is built to meet them. Its design includes automated shut-in capability, secondary containment, and on-location spill containment. Dunamis maintains an Emergency Action Plan and a Tactical Response Plan and will coordinate with the Hudson Fire Protection District to ensure local responders have the information they need to act quickly.
Documents
Judy Pad's documents are available below for easy access and review.
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Maps
Judy Pad's maps are available below for easy access and review.
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Contact us
Our commitment is to operate safely, responsibly, and with respect and care for the people who live nearby. If you have questions, concerns, or would like more information about our operations, please reach out to us directly.
Dunamis Energy 24/7 Community Call Line – 970-344-3055
The Judy Pad is not a new site. Its original permit (Form 2A) was approved in July 2019, and one well was drilled and completed that September. Dunamis is now developing additional wells from the same pad, within the approved footprint, without siting a new location or expanding the disturbance.
An existing, approved location
Up to 24 wells are approved under the state and Weld County permits, but Dunamis plans to drill only 16. The existing well sits in the south-center of the pad and the production facility in the northwest corner; the new wells will go in the center and the southern half. Each well reaches roughly 6,700 to 7,200 feet deep and is lined with multiple layers of steel casing and cement, including through the freshwater aquifers, to protect groundwater.
What we’re planning
The pad sits in Weld County and operates under an existing WOGLA permit, so Dunamis is working with the Weld County Oil and Gas Energy Department to keep the site plan current. Because the site is adjacent to Adams County, we also consulted with Adams County’s Oil & Gas Liaison and Air Quality Policy and Program Specialist and made specific commitments, including mud-and-sediment control on East 168th Avenue, submitting our Air Quality Monitoring Plan to Adams County for review prior to submitting to the Colorado Department of Human Health and Environment (CDPHE), and evaluating screening on the south side of the pad.
Working with Adams and Weld Counties
Project Schedule
Dunamis will develop the 16 wells across three separate visits. The dates below reflect the earliest possible timing, and this schedule is subject to change. We’ll keep this page current.
After Drilling
Once the wells are in production, they typically produce for about 25 to 30 years with limited on-site activity, mainly inspections and maintenance. After the busiest phases, we pull back a portion of the pad through interim reclamation.
Bringing the Site Up to Today’s Standards
The Judy Pad was permitted in 2019, so its original approval reflects the standards in place then. Because homes sit nearby, Dunamis filed a Form 4 Sundry with the ECMC to update the site to current standards. The measures below are intended to minimize the project’s impact on the community during our work.
