Wyoming Energy News

February 1

The School of Energy Resources features information about the energy industry on a weekly basis. Here is a recap of this week’s stories.

Baker Hughes Rig Counts

Baker Hughes reports the following rig counts actively exploring for oil or natural gas.

• U.S. rig count is down 14 rigs from last week to 1045 rigs, with oil rigs down 15 to 847 and gas rigs up 1 to 198
• The U.S. rig count is up 99 rigs from last year’s count of 946
• The Wyoming rig counts has remained at 33 from last week
• Colorado’s rig count is also holding strong at 35
• New Mexico remains at 112 rigs
• North Dakota is up one rig to 58
• Texas has gone down 3 rigs from last week to 514

Opening Prices from Bloomberg Energy on February 1

• West Texas Intermediate (WTI) opened at $54.01, up  from last weeks $53.17
• Brent Crude opened at $61.06, slightly down from $61.13 last week
• Natural gas opened at $2.83, down from last weeks $3.17

University of Wyoming

• The School of Energy Resources Carbon Capture Research team was featured in the news at the University Wyoming. Read the article here.
• The University of Wyoming also highlighted the Carbon Capture Research in Northern Wyoming. Read more here.

Casper Star Tribune

• This week, the Casper Star Tribune uploaded stunning photos of the wind turbines that have been popping up across Wyoming. These images also feature some of the construction aspects of wind farms, as well as show workers in the field. Click here to see these images.
• After filing bankruptcy in October of last year, Westmoreland Coal Company seeks permission to sell its Kemmerer mine by the end of this month. Read the article here.
• With the oil and gas permitting war continuing to escalate in Wyoming, a proposal to increase drilling applications nearly 2,000 percent has been brought to the legislative table. Learn more about the war and what lawmakers are trying to do to control the situation here.

Wyoming Public Media

• Despite the recent government shutdown, the Bureau of Land Management pushes forward with oil and gas lease sales covering nearly 400,00 acres of public land. Read more about this topic here.
• This week several bills that would address issues regarding modernizing laws while protecting private property rights were tabled during this week interim session. Learn more about the bills and the committee meeting here.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

• The EIA’s recent Short-Term Energy Outlooks estimates that in the next two years that CO2 emissions are likely to decrease. Learn more here.
• With the growth of energy in the U.S. the EIA is predicting that for the first time in over 50 years, the U.S. will export more energy that it imports by 2020. Learn more here.
• Natural gas plant liquids continue to grow as it is produced throughout the East and Southwest regions of the U.S. Learn more here.
• The 2018 Farm Bill passed by Congress with retain most energy programs through 2023. Learn more about the bill and its impacts on energy here.

Gillette Record

• Rocky Mountain Power’s request for permit for the Gateway West Transmission Line Project was approved on Wednesday by the Department of Environmental Qualities’ Industrial Siting Council. Learn more about the project here.