GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) - Figures show oil and gas drilling activity in western Colorado is at its highest pace in several years, with no signs of slowing down in 2018.

The Daily Sentinel reports Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission data through Dec. 8 shows drilling had begun on 113 wells so far this year in Mesa County, the most since 225 well starts there in 2008, the peak year of drilling activity in western Colorado’s Piceance (PEE’-ants) Basin.

Garfield County has had 277 well starts this year through Dec. 8, up from 161 for all of last year.

Garfield and Mesa rank second and third statewide in drilling activity, far behind the 1,203 well starts so far this year in Weld County. Colorado has seen 1,741 well starts through Dec. 8 of this year.

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Information from: The Daily Sentinel, http://www.gjsentinel.com

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