UW Students Visit Hydraulic Fracturing Operation in Northeast Wyoming

Six students in the energy resource management and development bachelor’s degree program in the University of Wyoming’s School of Energy Resources (SER) recently visited a hydraulic fracturing operation in northeast Wyoming.

The WRC Energy Group, an independent oil and natural gas company that was formed through the combination of Wold Energy Partners LLC and Rebellion Energy II LLC, and Camino Natural Resources LLC are currently fracking two horizontal wells to completion north of Glenrock.

Students Rachel Reese, of Johnstown, Colo.; Kendall Klos, of Johnsburg, Ill.; Ainsley Harris, of Erie, Colo.; Cass Lolley, of Littleton, Colo.; and Lars Quinlivan and Tyler Schlagel, both of Cheyenne, are participants in the SER Mentorship Program and were invited to attend the field tour as part of the professional development component of the program.

“How encouraging it is to see so many young students interested in the fracking process associated with our industry,” says Peter Wold, owner of Wold Oil Properties Inc. “They are wonderful representatives of the future for the industry.”

On a guided tour, students learned the step-by-step process of hydraulic fracturing from water acquisition and reuse to proppant mixing and injection. 

SER places a high value on providing experiential learning opportunities for students in the energy resource management and development major and the energy resource management minor, as well as the certificate programs in land administration and carbon capture, utilization and storage.

Energy resource management and development majors, representing both the professional land management concentration and the energy and environmental systems concentration, say the experience was valuable for their education.

“It was really interesting to see how different professions have to work together to pull off an operation at that scale efficiently and effectively,” says Schlagel, a student in the energy and environmental systems concentration. “We were able to talk to chemical engineers, geologists and mechanical engineers involved in monitoring the well and managing the frac system.”

“It also was really eye-opening to understand how important the land work is on the front end,” says Quinlivan, a student in the professional land management concentration. “We heard about all of the different types of surface agreements and leases that needed to be in place with surrounding landowners for water transportation, roads, mineral rights. It is great to see the end product of the things we are learning in the classroom.”

Other representatives from SER and the UW College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources also were in attendance, including SER Executive Director Holly Krutka.

“It is always such a valuable experience for our students to go into the field and learn directly from the experts in the industry,” Krutka says. “We are so grateful to Peter Wold for inviting us along on this unique opportunity to see firsthand the value and the magnitude of energy development in Wyoming.”