UW Law Student Advances Energy Research in Wyoming

With a recent slew of innovated and entrepreneurial projects, law student Greyson Buckingham, epitomizes the word ‘driven.’

Buckingham, who is from the small town of Kelly, Wyoming, is a joint degree candidate with the College of Law and the College of Business, concurrently earning his law degree and his MBA in Energy Management at a blistering pace. In a program them normally takes four years (at least) to complete, Buckingham will have accomplished it in a total of three.

While the accelerated schedule certainly implies a heavy course load each semester, Buckingham has still found the time to be active and successful in a myriad of law school activities and competitions. He is an active soldier in the Wyoming Army National Guard and the University of Wyoming ROTC Cowboy Battalion, and he sits on the Board of Directors for the No One Left Behind Foundation, which is a national non-profit that helps Afghan and Iraqi interpreters resettle in the United States.

All the while, he has maintained his employment as the Director of Policy for Mesa Natural Gas Solutions based out of Casper, Wyoming.

“One of the main reasons the University of Wyoming’s JD/MBA in Energy Management was so appealing was the amount of offered energy related courses taught by professionals with hands-on experience,” says Buckingham. “My coursework in energy related classes has allowed me to better understand the regulatory and business context the company I work for operates in, effectively allowing me to deliver more meaningful results.”

Buckingham is a member of the Natural Resources Law Club and the Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity. He competed in the intraschool Davis & Cannon Energy Moot Court Competition in both 2015 and 2016, and went on to represent the College of Law in the National Environmental Moot Court Competition in 2016. He also represented the College of Law at the 2015 ABA Negotiations Competition in Calgary, Canada.

Recently, Buckingham has been involved in energy related research projects. Under the supervision of Professor Tara Righetti, Buckingham presented a paper in December at the 2016 Dupont Summit on Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy in Washington D.C The Conference, hosted by the Policies Studies Organization, aims to promote dialogue about pressing issues related to science, technology and the environment.

His paper entitled, “Utilizing Natural Gas Generators to Reduce Emissions and Flared Gas,” explored the use of natural gas generators for on-site power sources for oil and gas sites.

“Greyson was a great representative for the University of Wyoming College of Law,” remarks Professor Righetti. “There was a lot of interest in his paper topic and his presentation brought a lot of visibility and exposure to the energy programs in Wyoming.”

His innovated research was motivated by his desire to improve the energy industry in Wyoming.

“Presenting at the Dupont Summit was a huge honor,” He says. “I credit my law and business courses for equipping me with the requisite skill set to speak at these types of conferences.”

Speaking at the conference opened the door to further development on his research. In April, Buckingham with the help of fellow business student John Lee, of Dubois, developed a business plan called Valued Energy Platform (VEP), which is an Internet marketplace for the oil & gas industry that promotes transparency and robust competition in on-site power generation.

The start-up company was entered in the 2017 John P. Ellbogen $30K Entrepreneurship Competition where it earned second place and a $10,000 cash prize.

“Based on my professional experiences and academic research in regard to the on-site power generation segment of the oil and gas value chain, I realized there was a tremendous market opportunity for a transparent and competitive e-marketplace that seamlessly connects oil and gas operators and suppliers,” says Buckingham.

Valued Energy Platform was also entered in the Fisher Innovation Challenge and the Casper Start-Up Challenge through the Wyoming Technology Business Center (WTBC). It has currently made it to the semi-final rounds. If chosen as the winning start-up company, VEP would receive up to $100,000 in seed money to get the business up and running.

Buckingham is optimistic about his prospects. VEP has generated a lot of interest and positive attention. He hopes to continue driving forward on the project.

“Using the seed money from the 30K Competition (and hopefully from the Casper Start-Up and Fisher Innovation Challenges' seed funds), my team and I will continue to develop Valued Energy Platform in Wyoming.”