Published August 24, 2023
By Christine Reed
The Petroleum Association of Wyoming (PAW) is holding the Rockies Petroleum Conference August 23-25 at the Marian Rochelle Gateway Center on the University of Wyoming (UW) campus in Laramie.
The annual conference serves as a forum for education and interaction by fostering mutually beneficial relationships between businesses and communities. This year’s agenda features an all-star lineup including members of Wyoming’s congressional delegation, as well as networking opportunities with industry colleagues, informative breakout sessions, and an impressive slate of keynote speakers.
The UW School of Energy Resources (SER) is a prominent entity throughout the three-day conference. Kicking off the event, SER hosted tours for attendees of the Energy Innovation Center, showcasing the outreach, research, and the educational programs in support of the energy sector in Wyoming.
Opening the general session on Thursday, SER student Jacob Burns will introduce Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder as a keynote speaker. Burns is a senior in the Energy Resource Management and Development (ERMD) degree program at SER and recently completed a summer internship with Peabody in Gillette. He is serving as the President of the Student Chapter for Energy Resources this year.
Following Superintendent Degenfelder, a panel comprised of SER Academic Director Kami Danaei, Ashli Tomisich, director of career services at the College of Law, and Tyler Grabner, associate director of career services for the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences will speak about the ways in which industry can connect with UW’s emerging leaders.
“We would like to thank the Petroleum Association of Wyoming for their continued partnership and support,” says Danaei. “We are always so pleased to work with the organization and we are grateful for this opportunity to highlight some of the resources that are available for employers to connect with our students, and to keep Wyoming’s energy industry thriving with expertise cultivated at the university.”
During the afternoon, research directors in SER will lead multiple breakout sessions featured on the agenda covering areas of expertise and active projects in support of the oil and gas industry in Wyoming. Speakers include:
— Holly Krutka, Executive Director
— Scott Quillinan, Senior Director of Research
— J. Fred McLaughlin, Director, Center for Economic Geology Research
— Kara Fornstrom, Director, Center for Energy Regulation and Policy Analysis
— Soheil Saraji, Associate Professor of Petroleum Engineering and SER Adjunct Faculty
Quillian will facilitate a second discussion later in the afternoon to showcase the innovative and exploratory research being conducted to unlock the oil and gas reserves in the Mowry and Codell Formations.
SER is also hosting a booth throughout the event where attendees can stop by to learn more about the programs and projects.
For more information and the full agenda, visit https://pawyo.org/rockies-petroleum-conference/
