Energy boom times here for Weld County, region

Things are booming in Weld County.

There’s no doubt that the oil and gas industry is enjoying a strong upswing, particularly in the Niobrara formation of the Denver-Julesburg basin.

Last year, the state issued about 6,000 oil and gas drilling permits, the third-highest total on record. Weld County, which has about 16,200 active wells, about 37 percent of the state’s total, accounted for 2,132 of last year’s permits – the highest number in the state.

Big, gushing oil discoveries in the region, such as the Jake well in late 2009, are part of the reason for the upsurge in production. Also fueling the…