The surface owner protection bond a Colorado oil and gas operator files on Form 3 under Rule 703, posted when you operate on land you do not own and lack a surface use agreement. The premium is 5% of the bond amount plus a $25 fee, $125 minimum — enter the amount the Commission set to see your exact price at application.
















Enter the amount the Commission required, consent to a soft pull, and file your Form 3. Here is the whole thing:
Your operator details, the bond amount the Commission required, and the effective date — that is the application. A quick soft credit check may run as part of it, never a hard inquiry.
Most clear quickly; if underwriting needs anything, you hear from an underwriter within 48 hours. Any credit check is a soft pull that never affects your score.
Receive the executed bond, attach it to your Form 3 financial assurance filing with the Energy & Carbon Management Commission. Wet-ink originals mailed on request.
Colorado regulates oil and gas operators through the Energy & Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) — the agency formerly known as the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC), renamed in 2023. The Commission requires operators to demonstrate financial assurance on Form 3, indexed to the applicable bonding rules.
Rule 703 is the surface owner protection bond. It is generally triggered when an operator works on land it does not own and does not have a surface use agreement with the surface owner. The bond stands behind the operator's obligation to protect and reclaim the surface, and to compensate the surface owner for damage.
The amount is set by the Commission under its rules rather than by a flat statute, so it varies with the operation, and the premium — 5% of that amount plus a $25 fee, $125 minimum — scales with it. A quick soft credit check may apply, never a hard inquiry. Enter the figure on your Form 3 filing to see your exact price, and confirm the current Rule 703 amount and form with the ECMC before you file.
Submit the application with the bond amount the Commission set. A quick soft credit check may run as part of underwriting — never a hard inquiry. Your executed Form 3 bond typically issues within 1–2 business days.
Start the application →Premiums from $100, soft pull only. Enter the amount the Commission set and see your exact price.