Summary/Abstract
HB0032, which was made effective on March 5, 2024, was put in place to facilitate the utilization of pore space for geologic sequestration. Any interested persons who aim to engage in sequestration activities would be required to file an application with the Wyoming oil and gas conservation commission requesting an order providing for the operation and organization of a unit of one or more parts as a geologic sequestration site and for the pooling of interests in pore space in the proposed unit area for the purpose of conducting the unit operation.
In the case of unitization, which is one of the goals of the bill, the Wyoming oil and gas conservation commission would approve of the proposed plan after considering a number of factors, including if “[g]ranting the application will facilitate the use and production of Wyoming energy resources or will utilize pore space for geologic sequestration” and if the economic benefits from the use of pore space in the unit area is fair and equitable and is reasonably designed to maximize the use of the pore space. However, no unitization order would be issued if it would “[d]iminish, impair or otherwise alter the dominance of the mineral estate over the surface estate and pore space interests” or if it would “[p]rohibit a mineral interest owner from developing the owner’s minerals above or below the unit area”.