The Niobrara Shale formation otherwise known as the Niobrara Chalk is a geologic formation that spreads over Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas with the largest part being located in Colorado. The play is mostly and oil play in the Denver-Julesburg Basin. The average depth for producing petroleum is around 7000 feet. As one heads Eastward, it shallows to right around 3000 feet becoming a biogenic gas zone. By using hydraulic fracturing to allow the both wet and dry petroleum products to get to the well bore, the technically recoverable amount increases greatly. Already in Colorado, oil production in 2013 has hit a 50 year high of 48 million barrels with most of that being pulled from the Niobrara. Since 2009 oil production in Colorado has risen 46 percent.