Presented By

Center for Biogenic Natural Gas Research

School of Energy Resources

College of Engineering & Applied Science

University of Wyoming

University of Wyoming Conference Center
at the Hilton Garden Inn
Laramie, Wyoming

Purpose

Interest in biogenic natural gas production has grown substantially in recent years with the recognition that the operational life of depleted hydrocarbon reserves may be extended using technologies that enhance the activity of indigenous microbial communities. These technologies could also be applied to depleted coal seams located throughout the Powder River Basin with the added economic benefit of existing coal bed methane related infrastructure. The responsible development of this technology requires the proper management of a wide range of complex scientific, environmental, economic and social issues.

The conference will begin at 8:00am on Wednesday, June 20, 2012, and conclude at 3:00pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012.  All sessions will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Laramie, WY.

Registration

General Admission: There is no cost for admission, but registration is required.  CLE credit is currently being arranged.  For more information regarding CLE credit please contact ser@uwyo.edu.

Hotel and Transportation Information

Find detailed hotel accommodation and transportation information here.

Agenda

Please click here for a draft agenda and be sure to check back for a finalized agenda prior to the conference.

Keynote Speaker: Rob Hurless, Deputy Director, School of Energy Resources, University of Wyoming

Rob Hurless is currently a Deputy Director at the School of Energy Resources at the University of Wyoming.  He is on loan to Governor Mead and works on Energy Strategy.  Prior to this position he served as Energy and Telecommunications Advisor to Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal.  He came to this position from a tour as Chairman of the Wyoming Public Service Commission.  For the bulk of his career Hurless was Publisher of the Casper Star-Tribune in Casper, Wyoming. He served as an officer aboard the USS Quapaw, ATF 110, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  He has a BS in Chemistry and BA in History from Montana State University, an MBA from Harvard Business School and Masters in Applied Economics from Stanford University.  He has three grown children and enjoys fly fishing and open source software.

Field Trip: Sponsored by Luca Technologies Inc.

Luca Technologies will sponsor a pre-conference field trip on June 18-19 to the Powder River Basin.  Buses will depart at 12:00pm on Monday, June 18th from the main lobby of the Hilton Garden parking lot.   Field trip questions should be directed to the field trip leaders.  Field trip expenses (transportation, lunches, and dinner) will be sponsored by Luca Technologies Inc., but attendees will be responsible for payment of their hotel room at the Holiday Inn Sheridan.  Please see the information below on how to book you hotel room.  Find a tentative field trip agenda here.

Field Trip Registration:  If you are interested in attending the field trip, please contact Kelly Garvey at serforum@uwyo.edu as soon as possible.  Registration will be limited to 50 people and only conference attendees may attend.  Please include your name, title, organization, address and phone number in your email.

Hotel Accommodations for Field Trip: Field trip attendees are responsible for purchasing their own hotel room at the Holiday Inn in Sheridan, WY (307-672-8931).  Rooms will be available at the group rate of $84.00 per night plus taxes and reservations must be made by June 4th to get the group rate.  When you call to book your room, identify yourself with the "UW Biogenic Field Trip."  Rooms can also be booked online by visiting www.holidayinn.com/sheridanwy and entering "UW1" under the group code in the reservation section. Hotel rooms must be cancelled by 6pm on the day of arrival to avoid penalty of one night's stay.  Attendees are responsible for calling the hotel to cancel their own reservations.

Cancellation Policy:  Please contact serforum@uwyo.edu immediately if you have to cancel your attendance, as we may have a waiting list.  Attendees will be responsible for any cancellation charges incurred by the hotel.  

Field Trip Leaders:

Call for Abstracts

We invite you to submit an abstract for consideration for platform presentation at the Secondary Biogenic Coal Bed Natural Gas International Conference, June 20-21, 2012, in Laramie, Wyoming. The deadline for submission is March 10, 2012. Please contact Kelly Garvey at serforum@uwyo.edu for more information.

Please click here for the abstract template, including information regarding abstract preparation and submittal.

Session topics include, but are not limited to, the following areas:

• Microbiology in Coal Bed Reservoirs and other Carbonaceous Deposits
• Coal Solubilization/Depolymerization Processes
• Biogenic Natural Gas Production

Booth Displays                                         

A limited number of booth spaces are available during the conference.  Booths can be purchased for $500 and will include (1) booth space and (2) conference registration spots.  Booths must be open from 8:00am – 5:00pm on June 20th (additional reception time optional) and 8:00am – 1:00pm on June 21st.  To purchase a booth and arrange registration for two attendees please contact Kelly Garvey at serforum@uwyo.edu or call (303) 842-2617.

Student Awards                       

Next Fuel Incorporated will present two $500 cash awards to students presenters.  Winners will be announced at the end of the conference.

Science Advisory Committee                           

Please check back later for a list of members on the Science Advisory Committee.

Additional Information

If you are interested in receiving updated conference and special event information from the UW School of Energy Resources please provide your name and e-mail address.