Rifle, CO - On a tour of Williams Natural Gas Flex Rig today, Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado, heard first-hand from employees about the importance of natural gas to Colorado's clean energy future. Bennet visited the site with officials from Williams Natural Gas. The employees explained how the rig extracts natural gas and discussed how it is a key component of efforts to address climate change and reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil.

"When extracted in a way that respects our water and the environment, clean burning natural gas will play a critical role in the transition to the new energy economy," Bennet said. "Along with wind, solar, biofuels and other resources we can tap into here in Colorado, natural gas will play a key role in reducing our dependence on foreign oil and in creating thousands of new clean energy jobs across the state."

Flex rigs differ from traditional rigs in that they are highly automated, and have "skidding" capability that allows the rig to drill multiple wells from the same pad. This decreases environmental impact and reclamation. Flex rigs also drill 22 percent faster than conventional rigs at operating costs 5 percent lower. Natural gas burns with half the carbon emissions of coal and 30 percent fewer emissions of oil; by far the cleanest burning of the fossil fuels.