30-8-101. Enhanced oil recovery commission created; duties.

(a) The Wyoming enhanced oil recovery commission is created. The commission shall consist of eight (8) members. The governor and the state geologist shall serve as ex officio members of the commission. One (1) legislative member shall be appointed by the management council of the legislature who shall serve as an ex officio member of the commission. The governor shall appoint the remaining members of whom one (1) shall be from the public at large with experience in the oil and gas industry, one (1) shall be a member of the oil and gas conservation commission, two (2) shall represent the oil and gas industry and one (1) shall be a representative of the University of Wyoming. The gubernatorial appointments shall be confirmed by the senate. Appointed members shall serve three (3) year terms. Members of the commission shall not receive any fees, salary or other compensation for services rendered but are entitled to receive per diem and mileage on the same basis and at the same rate as state employees and reimbursement for any other actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of commission duties. The governor may remove any appointed member as provided in W.S. 9-1-202. Except for the legislative member, initial appointments or any vacancy occurring between sessions of the legislature may be filled by the governor in accordance with W.S. 28-12-101(b). The commission shall be staffed by executive branch agencies as designated by the governor.

(b) The commission, in conjunction with the University of Wyoming school of energy resources and oil and gas industry research entities, shall develop:

(i) A research program for energy research and enhanced oil and gas recovery at the University of Wyoming school of energy resources. The program shall focus on and facilitate a meaningful and measurable increase in recoverable reserves and production of oil and natural gas in Wyoming through the effective and efficient transfer of relevant technology, information and knowledge to entities, regardless of size, producing Wyoming reserves;

(ii) A program focusing on technology transfer, to help industry with access to and application of enhanced oil and gas recovery and improved oil and gas recovery technology. The program shall be designed to promote research and technology transfer efforts in both conventional and unconventional oil and gas reservoirs.

(iii) Repealed by Laws 2015, ch. 39, § 2.

(iv) Repealed by Laws 2015, ch. 39, § 2.

(c) In developing programs under subsection (b) of this section, the commission shall direct development to economically viable solutions.

(d) The commission:

(i) Shall provide guidance and oversight and coordinate with the University of Wyoming school of energy resources to efficiently carry out the programs developed pursuant to subsection (b) of this section;

(ii) May seek and utilize government and private grants to further the duties of the commission and purposes of this section;

(iii) Shall facilitate the development of formal agreements between the University of Wyoming school of energy resources and the oil and gas industry through which the industry is provided access to the school's expertise and work product in exchange for providing access to data and required facilities;

(iv) Shall promote and facilitate the transfer of new technologies throughout the oil and gas industry in this state;

(v) May establish advisory task forces to evaluate the responsiveness of programs developed under this section, the effectiveness of technology transfer and funding from nonstate sources.

(e) Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 44, § 2.

(f) As used in this section:

(i) "Commission" means the Wyoming enhanced oil recovery commission;

(ii) "Enhanced oil and gas recovery" means all existing and potential technology to recover oil and gas beyond traditional primary and secondary methods, including technology to optimize development and recovery of oil and gas resources in new fields.

(iii) Repealed by Laws 2015, ch. 39, § 2.