[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6227361,"mediaKeyId","3491875-e2beb064d34d9e49475be0407ee8cd13","parentId",3491875,"title","Wyoming Energy Authority updates committee on energy matching funds, large‑project criteria and coal study","audioSeconds",1183,"startMs",5633000,"endMs",6816000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3491875-e2beb064d34d9e49475be0407ee8cd13&start=5633&end=6816","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3491875-e2beb064d34d9e49475be0407ee8cd13/thumbnail_5633000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6227361/Wyoming/Wyoming-Energy-Authority-updates-committee-on-energy-matching-funds-largeproject-criteria-and-coal-study","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227361-42e55eae5a196d2000e2c78d46b06915/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191579&Signature=Bo~t7EatY9uAOCGQWR2~73yrgkJtHJAwsuaS5Mh6SEgfdEV3E4v5CP4TtbSyTMFbm5olL2FBz8t58JJzeklNeTT9aGPLDdcqArKg6XFvUBB7m5LVbNo-HJ02FE2HCEjz8Zx0681e01obtX76GRkVLnlzEw53CWIn11d54mZCvDVECb7ljY9gdnjYBRsBS3tr2pCkjdh7tpPI67TDknueYYsPJxhdtb9wSreXb1yEFOd3tebMSiPC5usDQCZClyc-THpXcdUt0L1DzOIf9TlIOeESGhXx7JkVJlS~8o-j40U6LDzxsvARSB4cxHzsmMnEBaCK3AXMZ-Qi4vO9ADZMjw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wyoming Legislature","date","2025-05-22T06:09:59Z","article","Rob Krieger, executive director of the Wyoming Energy Authority, briefed the Joint Minerals Committee on June 20 on the authority’s program activity, the energy matching funds portfolio and planned interim studies. Krieger said the energy matching funds are intended to help Wyoming projects land federal grants and private capital by covering required cost‑share and by making Wyoming more competitive for projects that involve carbon capture, hydrogen, advanced power generation and other energy technologies.

Krieger reminded the committee that the authority is a small, quasi‑state entity with a broad mission that includes serving as a hub for energy projects, leveraging other state, federal and private programs, and administering several federal state energy programs. He said the energy matching funds were created in 2022 and the total state appropriations designated for the matching and large‑project funds now total about $255 million; after prior earmarks for specific coal work and mine‑access support, Krieger said the authority currently has roughly $22 million remaining in the regular matching fund and a $100 million large‑project fund yet to be allocated.

“Where the fund was intended to be helpful was in supporting projects that needed matching or cost share for a federal grant,” Krieger said. He explained the application process: a concept paper portal tri‑annually, full proposals on invitation, technical review by authority staff and partner agencies, a 10‑day public comment period on recommended awards, an attorney‑general review and final executive decision. He said the authority requires applicants to have matching funds in hand before a contract is executed so state funds serve as closing capital rather than initial seed money.

To date, the authority has approved 24 projects covering energy, mining and pilot demonstrations. Krieger said the authority’s matching dollars — together with required private and federal contributions — have leveraged roughly $400 million beyond the state’s direct appropriations. He said the board and staff track return on investment differently depending on project type; for pilots the authority expects scaled deployment if a pilot succeeds, and for demonstration or CCS projects the authority tracks expected long‑term avoided retirements or incremental state revenues.

Krieger told the committee the authority will deliver a legislatively directed energy inventory and impact study required by Senate File 138 on Oct. 1, which will include historic timelines and five‑year production and tax figures, and the authority is separately preparing a more detailed coal market study that will examine domestic and international demand, capital requirements and carbon‑capture economics. He said rulemaking for Senate File 17 (CO2 tax credit parity language) can begin July 1 under the statute and that the authority will be active on electricity policy for large loads and third‑party generation in coordination with utilities and co‑ops.

Industry speakers in the hearing supported the authority’s outreach. David Bush (Black Hills Energy) told the panel the large‑load/third‑party generation discussions have been constructive. Sean Taylor (Wyoming Rural Electric Association) said co‑ops stand ready to participate in solutions for large, new electricity customers.

Peter Obermueller of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming used the opportunity to urge bolder state action on financing and pointed to the Bank of North Dakota as a model other states use to help finance infrastructure; he asked the committee to consider whether energy matching programs should be retooled or expanded to attract larger private investment.

Ending: Krieger said the authority will return with the October study and begin rulemaking and outreach later this summer; the committee requested the authority provide the energy inventory and a breakdown of how matching funds have been spent and leveraged for each funded project.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Minerals, Business & Economic Development Committee, May 21, 2025-AM","oneSentenceSummary","Rob Krieger, executive director of the Wyoming Energy Authority, told the Joint Minerals Committee the authority has used state matching dollars to leverage roughly $400 million of additional private and federal investment across 24 projects and will deliver an energy inventory and impact study to lawmakers by Oct. 1.","taxTitle","Minerals, Business & Economic Development, Joint & Standing, Committees, Legislative, Wyoming","taxId",15490,"location","Wyoming","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6227369,"Lawmakers hear technical, economic case for CO2-enhanced oil recovery and pipeline buildout in Wyoming",4898,505000,5403000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3491875-e2beb064d34d9e49475be0407ee8cd13&start=505&end=5403","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3491875-e2beb064d34d9e49475be0407ee8cd13/thumbnail_505000.jpg","/articles/6227369/Wyoming/Lawmakers-hear-technical-economic-case-for-CO2-enhanced-oil-recovery-and-pipeline-buildout-in-Wyoming","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227369-d351d7d1d2896176c57fcb9c7f19a610/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191579&Signature=g29x8EiTJnUKaVJngQp5gwTRrpW2IkuH-w7qtmjCmre4gw14caf7QiFJaWrg84cBJFi-qGsL~LC7IE39eSYamlqdJHPE0B-VwgyR6pJYTeOAZ7f2zypwhrOYh3108TCra8fVlXdsXU~6G7ujpFHjVMROVoIAA~lsXvhjWE9MYHClOEg3H2GHH8PFl~Hz2BG-g9g-J1YvFoFfmQSWx5rPpbTbBB19BhrqmAWm-dxLObifieNVQjdAXo-OafAGg~kbwht2araKM4YOJBsmj~hGFoIxcvWG--s~jClm~nPy2Hr7ttk6w~9cCOzjviV4SgyRboczFlfh173N5s-rA3jL1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lon Whitman, director of the Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute, told the Joint Minerals, Business & Economic Development Interim Committee on June 20 that Wyoming has “significant stranded oil potential” and that industry economics determine whether enhanced oil recovery (EOR) projects move forward. Whitman said multiple studies indicate roughly 2 billion barrels of recoverable upside oil in the state and that CO2 EOR since 1986 produced about 173 million barrels of incremental oil, generating an estimated $1.16 billion in state tax revenue under conservative assumptions.

The briefing matters because CO2 EOR projects require large up‑front capital, dedicated CO2 supplies and pipelines, and they can change long‑term production and state revenues. Whitman framed EOR as a set of technical and commercial choices rather than a single policy fix.

Whitman described how EOR fits into production phases: primary yields roughly 15% of original oil in place; secondary methods such as water‑flooding can add another ~20%; and enhanced recovery techniques, including CO2, can add roughly a further 25% in many cases. “These are long‑term projects with long‑term revenue to the state,” he said, citing the Lost Soldier and Beaver Creek projects as multi‑decade examples. Whitman warned costs rise sharply with each stage and described typical EOR project items: capture and contract for CO2, a delivery pipeline or spur, field rework and specialized surface equipment.

On CO2 supply and pipelines he told the committee that most CO2 used for Wyoming EOR comes from large capture facilities tied to industrial plants. Whitman identified the Shoot Creek (ExxonMobil) capture facility and the Lost Cabin (Contango) facility as the main in‑state CO2 sources and described existing trunk pipeline lines that move CO2 from southwest to northeast Wyoming. He said existing infrastructure delivers on the order of hundreds of millions of cubic feet per day and that some proposed projects have letters of interest for CO2 delivery but need spur pipelines. “You can’t move forward with the project financing if you don’t have a CO2 agreement,” he said.

Whitman gave examples of private project economics. He said a set of nearby small fields can be combined into 1 CO2 project to become economic and that typical pipeline spur costs run roughly $1 million per mile in the examples he showed (he cited a 12‑inch, ~41.3‑mile spur at roughly $40 million). For one developer he cited CapEx figures of about $175 million (Raven Creek field) plus a spur pipeline cost of roughly $50 million and an initial CO2 purchase of 50 million cubic feet per day. Using an industry rule of thumb Whitman explained CO2 price roughly tracks a small percentage of WTI oil price and worked an example that put CO2 purchase costs near $63,000 per day (about $23 million per year) for a 50 million cfd contract at the oil prices used in his slide.

Committee members pressed Whitman on technical and operational details. Questions included whether water used in water floods is recycled (Whitman: “vast majority after their initial start up”), whether natural gas is sometimes reinjected for pressure maintenance (yes, if available), and how long fields can take to show a response — he said Beaver Creek injected CO2 for four years before a measurable oil response. Senator Cooper and others asked about reservoir studies and whether older fields had sufficient data; Whitman said many candidate fields have been studied but not all, and some that had past reservoir work would be better candidates.

Whitman also reviewed non‑CO2 EOR options under development in Wyoming: polymer‑augmented water floods, NGL (natural gas liquids) EOR pilots and an “enriched air” thermal technique. He described an NGL pilot supported by the Wyoming Energy Authority that aims to use nearby NGL pipeline supply to test solvent flooding and listed a small polymer and an enriched‑air pilot near Gillette that has state support.

On regulatory and bonding questions, Joe Scott of the Wyoming Oil and Gas Commission noted the commission’s primary regulatory touch points: unitization under “statute 30 five‑one 10,” injection and well work under Commission rules (Chapter 4), and the Class II underground injection control program the state runs under EPA primacy. Scott warned that the federal aquifer‑exemption process has been a source of delay when the injected zone is below 10,000 mg/L total dissolved solids and EPA concurrence is required, though he said recent federal staff changes had reduced timelines. He also highlighted bonding and idle‑well liability as major business constraints for smaller companies seeking to take over older fields.

Public comment raised water and safety concerns. A local resident said CO2 mixed with water can form carbonic acid, and urged the committee to require mitigation and baseline monitoring before expansion of CO2 projects. The committee asked staff to follow up on aquifer monitoring and whether baseline water testing approaches used for hydraulic fracturing should be applied to EOR projects.

The committee did not take formal policy action at the session; members directed staff to compile more detailed project lists and to return with follow‑up information on aquifer monitoring, pipeline routes and potential state support options for prioritized EOR projects.

Ending: Committee members said they will continue technical briefings through the interim and asked state agencies to provide targeted follow‑up on pipeline capacity, bonding pools and the status of capture projects so the Legislature can consider options if members decide to pursue targeted infrastructure or financial incentives.

","Lon Whitman, director of the Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute, told the Joint Minerals Committee on June 20 that Wyoming has “significant stranded oil potential” and described the technical and economic requirements for CO2‑enhanced oil recovery projects.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6227365,"Interim joint committee changes quorum rule to require majority of each chamber for sponsoring legislation",438,60000,498000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3491875-e2beb064d34d9e49475be0407ee8cd13&start=60&end=498","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3491875-e2beb064d34d9e49475be0407ee8cd13/thumbnail_60000.jpg","/articles/6227365/Wyoming/Interim-joint-committee-changes-quorum-rule-to-require-majority-of-each-chamber-for-sponsoring-legislation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227365-99fe78eda6c9b605a892e3d671e3977e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191579&Signature=fMchnsfq0k4MvX0T9LiycjQ9XbmRpvjNyv4IBZsMrOs6y0ufaA~y82gQl5GGAjmbnHFi4g9ASAtPYkeyxbWopGpqoWsm7W98WzPbLwQ3MNZIDJAwQk3OFFhbFJFL6~EtHTXye5q0lnPoAktpFB2XMXNiz~p6IjsQGUnkMJ3YeDstzMDPzUX4IBg2cerZGOn94GzlxU3xjeKfXOTLj1nxtOhOOsCwE51mVLdMwkP9jZuEjF2ExTUohPPS1zyYZwk6vIzjfnluLrGg6a1ittDdQxFiXIHI5on3BFH7nMoHAmkuduVigc8g3s-jVtLH9zLKfTu64Il-ezQWpkwEivCD6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Joint Minerals, Business & Economic Development Interim Committee voted on June 20 to adopt an amended interim‑committee rule clarifying quorum and sponsorship thresholds for joint committee bills. Co‑Chair Heiner presided over the vote after members debated an alternate quorum formulation intended to increase the chance that committee‑sponsored measures would have support in both chambers.

The amendment replaces an existing subsection with language modeled on a recent change the Joint Judiciary Committee adopted: the quorum necessary to transact business remains a majority of the committee, but “to sponsor legislation” the committee requires “a majority vote of the quorum of members of each house then present.” Supporters said the change will reduce the number of committee bills that fail during later chamber consideration; opponents said interim committee work should blur chamber lines and use a simple majority. Representative Daniel Campbell argued the change would reduce the committee carrying bills forward that lack bicameral support; another member urged preserving the traditional joint‑committee approach.

The committee first used a voice vote; members then called for division and a hand count. After checking individual members, the chair recorded the outcome as 8 in favor and 6 opposed and announced the rules as adopted. The committee moved on to its scheduled briefings.

Ending: Committee staff will publish the amended interim rules and proceed under the new standard for committee sponsorship of legislation during the interim.

","The Joint Minerals, Business & Economic Development interim committee amended its interim rules to require majority support by members of each legislative chamber before a joint committee may sponsor legislation. The change passed after division and a hand count, 8‑6.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Wyoming Energy Authority updates committee on energy matching funds, large‑project criteria and coal study

Lawmakers hear technical, economic case for CO2-enhanced oil recovery and pipeline buildout in Wyoming

Interim joint committee changes quorum rule to require majority of each chamber for sponsoring legislation