WYOMING — Governor Mark Gordon has transferred an additional $15 million in funding to the Energy Rebound Program. The program will fund 292 oil and gas projects, providing an estimated 5,500 jobs in Wyoming over the next year.
With the number of qualified applications for the program exceeding the original $15 million allocations, Gordon transferred an additional $15 million in funding to the program for a total of $30 million. The additional CARES Act dollars came from programs with leftover funds that could be repurposed.
Sixty-six companies applied for projects determined eligible to receive funds. Company estimates provided on application paperwork indicated that these projects will provide over 5,500 jobs in Wyoming and will produce over $150 million in oil and/or natural gas over the next year. Companies were limited to a cap of $500,000 per project. In addition to drilled but uncompleted wells, each company could receive funding for up to 5 recompletions or workovers, and 5 plugging and abandonment (P&A) of wells that are no longer producing.
The Wyoming Business Council administered the program in collaboration with the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission and other agencies.“The results of this program show the willingness of the oil and gas industry to put people to work in Wyoming, once they get some capital to get them going,” said Business Council CEO, Josh Dorrell.
The funded projects represent projects that were planned, but unable to be completed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The projects include 18 drilled but uncompleted wells, 131 recompletions or workovers and 143 P&As.
