Civitas leaves fight to tap oil, gas under Boulder County open space

After a five-year legal battle, Civitas Resources has indefinitely paused its plans to obtain mineral leases and drill up to 32 wells on a conservation easement owned by Boulder County.

Crestone Peak Resources, which was acquired by Civitas, received permits from the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to drill its proposed Blue Paintbrush pad on the land in 2018.

While Civitas — one of the top five oil and gas producers in Colorado in 2022 — may  have retreated from the field in Boulder County, it has big projects in Erie and in Arapahoe County.

The oil and gas operator sought to obtain mineral leases held by Boulder County, covering 552 acres. The county went to court to block Civitas, which was formerly Extraction OIl and Gas, from gaining access…