• We think of CO2 as the greenhouse gas (GHG) causing global warming.
• The Stern Report and the several IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) reports are gaining acceptance.
• In its most recent report (AR4 Synthesis Report November 17, 2007) the IPCC has written: Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level.
• The report goes further to say: Most of the observed increase in globallyaveraged temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic GHG concentrations.
• The Supreme Court on April 2, 2007 in a 5 to 4 decision decided that CO2 was a pollutant and the EPA could regulate auto emissions of the GHG (Chemical & Engineering News, April 3, 2007).

Development and production of coalbed methane involves the production of large volumes of water. The salinities and sodium adsorption ratios of coalbed methane (CBM) water from the Powder River Basin range from 370 to 1,940 ppm and 5.6 to 69 respectively. Surface discharge of CBM water can create serious environmental problems; subsurface injection is generally viewed as economically nonviable. It has been shown that oil recovery from reservoir sandstones can be improved by low salinity waterflooding for salinities ranging up to 5,000 ppm. There may be both technical and regulatory advantages to application of CBM water to oil recovery by waterflooding. Thin section and scanning electron microscope studies of the mineral constituents and distribution of Tensleep and Minnelusa sandstones show they are typically composed of quartz, feldspar, dolomite and anhydrite cements but have very low clay content. The sands contain interstitial dolomite crystals in the size range of up to about 10 microns. Three sandstone cores from the Tensleep formation in Wyoming were tested for tertiary response to injection of CBM water. The cores were first flooded with high salinity Minnelusa formation brine of 38,651 ppm to establish residual oil saturation. Synthetic CBM water of 1,316 ppm was then injected. Tertiary recovery by injection of CBM water ranged from 3 to 9.5% with recoveries for all but one flood being in the range of 5.9 to 9.5%. Previous studies showed that the presence of clay was needed for response to low salinity flooding. As a test of the recovery mechanism, a Tensleep core was preflushed with 15% hydrochloric acid to dissolve the dolomite crystals. The treated core showed no tertiary recovery or pressure response to CBM water.

Nick Jones of EORI explores the application of Permian Basin ideas to the Bighorn Basin through the use of cores, cuttings, well logs, PI cards, and more.

Osage Partners, LLC. a Wyoming based operator contacted EORI and requested the institute’s assistance regarding their Muddy/Newcastle assets. The operator provided EORI with core from four wells and associated data related to the Osage field in the Powder River Basin. The operator requested that EORI characterize the clay mineralogy of the pay sands using XRD, SEM, and CEC analysis of samples from the provided core.

Eolian petroleum reservoirs are found worldwide, many having high-volume production of both oil and gas. As with any geological rock unit, each oil/gas field has production characteristics peculiar to its geological history. However, certain common factors link most eolian reservoirs. Cross-stratification due to bedform migration can influence sweep direction and efficiency. The various kinds of primary eolian strata have different poroperm characteristics. Moreover, stacking of sand seas or bedforms through geological time can create distinctive reservoir flow units in the subsurface. Tectonic activity, especially faults, may create shear zones with reduced poroperm, or partition a reservoir into structurally defined flow units. Faults may also create high-permeability zones that allow water breakthrough. Eolian reservoirs are commonly thought of as clean, and rather simple. However, in some places they are complex in terms grain composition or texture. They are commonly cemented by carbonates, anhydrites or salt, which sets up fabricselective or non-fabric selective patterns of secondary porosity in reservoirs.

There are two main themes of this poster. The first theme is to provide an update on the stratigraphy and sedimentology of the Tensleep/Casper Formation of Southeast Wyoming (and parts of Northern Colorado), and oil production from these rocks. We incorporate new measured sections, stratigraphic analysis and petrographic work undertaken by the authors. To this end we created a new database in ArcGis (geographic information software) of tops and other information that updates the historical well database of the Wyoming Oil and Gas Commission archived in Casper. This new database has been used to create Common Risk Segment (CRS) maps of the Upper Tensleep oil play in Southeast Wyoming. These CRS maps indicate trends in Tensleep reservoir, charge and trap that are useful in planning further exploration. It is possible that use of advanced seismic techniques applied over the complex structural terrains in the identified high potential areas of SE Wyoming will produce new leads and ultimately, new discoveries.

Ash Minnelusa Unit Conclusions

• Monitor, monitor, monitor. Make changes based upon reservoir response.
• Improved understanding of the problem improves process application and results
• Volumetric sweep (gels) should be applied before mobility control
• Implement gel processes early for maximum benefits
• Incremental oil expected to exceed 400,000 BBLS (18.4%%5 OOIP) for $0.88/BBL
• Field experience is critical with gel processes. Experience at Ash can be applied to other reservoirs

Presentation at the 2014 Wyoming Oil and Gas Fair by William F. Demarest of Husch Blackwell. Topics include how radical changes in natural gas markets have disproportionately affected Wyoming production, trends in pricing, demand and production in key markets, pipelines and more.

Brian Jeffries presents for the Wyoming Pipeline Authority at the Wyoming Oil & Gas Fair (WOGF) in September 2014 in Jackson, Wyoming. Topics covered in the presentation include natural gas pricing, capacity, comparisons between natural gas and crude oil, building models for Wyoming energy, energy transportation options and more.

Matt Fry presents on the topic of Wyoming Pipeline Corridor Initiave to the Wyoming Pipeline Authority on June 16, 2016.

Trisha Curtis of the Energy Policy Research Foundation presentation at the 2015 Wyoming Pipeline Authority public meeting in 2015. Topics covered includes information about EPRINC, oil prices, forecasting errors, drilling, production, permit activity and more.

Brian Jeffries presents on the topic of "Update on Natural Gas, NGLs and Crude" at the 2015 Petroleum Association of Wyoming Annual Meeting in Casper, Wyoming. This presentation includes information including Wyoming natural gas, crude, propane, energy networks, pricing, and pricing forecasts.

When it comes to electrifying the oilfield, the industry narrows its focus onto monthly energy charges (energy, demand, and basic charges), somewhat disregarding the considerable capital expenditures necessary to build out and maintain electric infrastructure. Onsite generation may not be the optimal solution in every application, but at least in terms of cost in the current environment, generators appear to offer a competitive alternative.

2012 Regional Update on Co2 Conference