What is an OGDP?
An OGDP (Oil and Gas Development Plan) is the application an operator files with the COGCC before developing resources in a designated area. It is the master plan for a drilling project.
The OGDP process was introduced under Senate Bill 19-181 (2019), which replaced the old well-by-well permitting approach with an area-wide planning framework. OGDPs cover not just where wells will be drilled, but how the development affects surface owners, the environment, and local communities.
For mineral brokerages, OGDPs are one of the most useful public data sources available. They tell you where development is happening, who the operator is, and who the operator believes owns the minerals.
Where to find OGDP filings
OGDPs are publicly accessible through the COGCC's ECMC at cogcc.state.co.us. You can search by:
- Operator name: Search directly for a company's filings.
- Geographic area: Search by county, township, range, and section using the PLSS grid. The most common approach for brokerages.
- API number: If you have an API number, you can find the associated OGDP.
- Hearing docket: The COGCC posts upcoming applications. Monitoring the docket lets you spot development before it is approved.
The COGCC's GIS mapping tools display well locations and spacing units, helping you visualize where OGDPs have been filed.
Anatomy of an OGDP filing
Operators organize their filings differently, but the core components are consistent.
Operator information
The first section identifies the operator: legal entity name and address, COGCC-assigned operator number, and contact person. Different operators have different development timelines and acreage positions. Tracking all of an operator's OGDP filings gives you a map of their development plans.
Well information
For each proposed well, you will find the well name, API number, well type (virtually all new Colorado wells are horizontal), proposed total depth and lateral length, target formation (Niobrara, Codell, etc.), surface location, and bottomhole location.
The target formation is the key detail for mineral acquisition. Mineral rights can be leased or sold by formation. An owner might hold Niobrara rights but not Codell rights. The target formation tells you which mineral interests are relevant.
Spacing unit and legal description
The spacing unit defines the geographic area from which the wells will drain. The legal description uses the PLSS system.
What to look for:
- Unit boundaries: May be a full section (640 acres), a half section (320 acres), or some other configuration.
- Multi-section units: Modern horizontal wells often span multiple sections.
- Excluded lands: Some tracts within the boundaries may be excluded, such as state or federal lands.
The spacing unit defines which mineral owners are affected. Every owner within it has the right to participate in production (or to be pooled). Each owner's share of production is typically their net mineral acres divided by total mineral acres in the unit.
Mineral interest owner exhibit
Most OGDPs include an exhibit listing mineral owners within the spacing unit: owner name, fractional interest (often as net mineral acres), contact information, and lease status.
This exhibit is, in effect, a lead list assembled by the operator at their expense. It tells you who owns minerals, how much they own, and whether they have leased.
The caveat: accuracy varies. The operator's research may be months or years old by the time of filing. Owners may have died, transferred, or moved. Fractional interests may contain errors, especially where the chain involves complex heir situations. Use it as a starting point and cross-reference against your own title chain research and county records.
Surface use plan
The surface use plan (sometimes filed as a separate SRC) describes pad location and size, access roads, pipeline routes, water sources, and reclamation. Less directly relevant to mineral acquisition, but surface owner objections can delay development and affect acquisition timing.
Environmental and community impact sections
Post-SB 19-181, OGDPs include more extensive environmental analysis: air quality, wildlife, noise, traffic, and proximity to occupied structures. These primarily matter to regulators, but they can affect whether and when an OGDP is approved.
Force pooling orders and what they signal
Check whether the operator has filed or obtained a force pooling order for the spacing unit.
Force pooling occurs when an operator cannot obtain voluntary leases from all mineral owners. Under C.R.S. 34-60-116, the COGCC can issue an order pooling unleased owners into the unit, giving them options: participate as a working interest owner, accept a lease, or be deemed leased under default terms.
Why this matters: A force pooling application is a direct signal that unleased mineral owners exist. These are potential acquisition targets.
When you see a pooling order or application:
- Pull the order to identify the specific owners pooled.
- Determine their status: did they elect to participate, get deemed leased, or not respond?
- Cross-reference with the OGDP owner list for their fractional interest.
- Check county records. Pooled owners who were "not located" may be deceased with findable heirs.
How brokerages use OGDPs for lead generation
OGDPs are prospecting tools as much as regulatory documents.
Monitoring new filings: Track the COGCC hearing docket for new applications in your target area.
Extracting owner lists: Pull the mineral interest owner exhibit and cross-reference against your existing contact database.
Identifying unleased owners: Focus on owners flagged as unleased or associated with force pooling applications. These are the highest-priority leads.
Spotting probate gaps: If the OGDP lists a person as owner but the last recorded instrument is from decades ago, there may be deceased owners with heirs who have not been contacted. These require heir research but yield acquisitions competitors miss.
Tracking operator activity: Monitoring OGDPs across an area shows which operators are active, where they are expanding, and what formations they are targeting.
MineralScout integrates COGCC data with county records to identify these opportunities without manual cross-referencing.
Cross-referencing OGDPs with county records
The OGDP gives you names and fractional interests. The county records give you the chain of title. Combining the two is where you find discrepancies and opportunities.
Step 1: Take a name from the OGDP owner list and search the grantor-grantee index in the mineral county.
Step 2: Pull every recorded instrument involving that name and verify that ownership matches the OGDP.
Step 3: If there is a discrepancy, dig deeper. Discrepancies are either errors in the OGDP (common) or undiscovered conveyances.
Step 4: Build your own run sheet for the parcel, tracing ownership from patent to present. More work than relying on the OGDP, but it produces a verified chain a title attorney can opine on.
At scale, this cross-referencing is a bottleneck. Each OGDP might list dozens of owners. Automated title chain tools can process the county index in bulk and flag discrepancies against the OGDP data.
Common mistakes when reading OGDPs
Treating the owner list as a title opinion. It is the operator's working understanding, not a legal opinion.
Ignoring multi-formation rights. An owner might hold minerals in one formation but not another. The OGDP targets a specific formation.
Missing associated orders. Check for related spacing orders, pooling orders, and integration orders.
Not monitoring updates. OGDPs can be amended, withdrawn, or modified. Monitor for changes.
Overlooking the timeline. An OGDP may be filed years before drilling begins. The operator's timeline affects which leads to pursue first.
Summary
An OGDP filing maps mineral acquisition opportunities: operator info, well data, spacing unit, mineral owner exhibit, and force pooling status. Cross-referencing against county records turns a regulatory document into actionable data. The operators have already done title research to build their owner lists. Your job is to verify, extend, and act on that information.