Colorado’s oil shale lures Shell

Water at risk as energy company buys land rights for exploration, analysts say

In its quest to remove oil from western Colorado’s shale, Royal Dutch Shell has been buying land and water rights in anticipation of what is likely to be a thirsty new industry.

Some officials worry that the demands of the oil-shale industry could drain every drop of the region’s remaining water.


“On the upper end, we’re looking at potentially several hundred thousand acre-feet of water