Many of you may not be aware of the happenings in the Cowboy State concerning the future of the energy industry. Wyoming is not just sitting back and allowing market forces to have huge impacts on the state, it is taking steps to be on the forefront instead. Here are a couple of big things going on in Wyoming.
Carbon Emissions – ITC
A new Wyoming research center is the driving force for change. The Wyoming Integrated Test Center (“ITC”) was dedicated by Governor Mead in Campbell County, Wyoming, last week. Check out the ITC website here.
Bottom line: It is a big deal – it is a collaborative effort that has the ability to change the future of energy by developing ways we can use power plant emissions.
The specifics: According to the About ITC website, the funding for the ITC came from the Wyoming State Legislature ($15 million), the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association ($5 million), the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association ($1 million) and Basin Electric Power Cooperative is providing the host site at their Dry Fork Station located in northern Wyoming and additional valuable in-kind contributions (important things like engineers and construction management services). Supporters also include Rocky Mountain Power, Black Hills Power, XPRIZE Foundation and the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources – the ITC is a true public-private partnership with a shared goal.
The goal is simple yet significant – to develop commercial uses for carbon dioxide emissions. Check out more on the science of this here.
The headline from the Casper Star Tribune says it all, In Unassuming Wyoming, A Quest to Change the National and Global Future of Coal.
Since this project involves coal, obviously it is hotly contested and controversial. Opponents reportedly question the use of taxpayer funds on the ITC and wonder whether the cause is useless because coal is a sinking ship.
Oil and Gas – Secondary Recovery
In addition, secondary recovery in oil and gas operations is a focus of the Cowboy State. The Casper Star Tribune highlighted this focus in its article yesterday entitled, UW Institute Fosters $2 Million of Research into Oil and Gas Recovery in Wyoming. The Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute reportedly, “announced recently that $2.2 million of research is about to roll out in Wyoming.” The plan is to dig deep into figuring out ways to increase secondary recovery and optimize production using new technology in Wyoming’s old wells.
Wyoming is clearly a force for change in the energy industry – there is something to be said for that Cowboy grit and work ethic. Cowboys know when to adapt and when to buckle down to figure out a problem. One thing is true – do not underestimate the Cowboy state.
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