Carbon County Industrial Roundtable Notes
June 16, 2014, Jeffrey Center, Rawlins, WY
Introductions and Welcome- Cindy Wallace, Carbon County Economic Development Corporation
Executive Director.
Dan Vink introduced Roundtable steering committee.
Overview of Agenda- Mickey Beaver, Rocky Mountain Power
Updates:
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation- Dennis Ellis
Largest landowner (4.2 million acres) and taxpayer in Wyoming (approximately $1M royalties and taxes per day)
700 employees and 1,000 contractors.
As Coal Bed Methane continues to decline, oil will begin to increase, particularly in the Powder River
Basin
Salt Creek and Monell are two of the world’s largest CO2 reinjection projects
BP-Tom Robinson
7 th largest natural gas producers in Wyoming, 11 th largest liquids producer
200 employees and 800 contractors
Wamsutter is one of BPs largest global portfolios in terms of proven reserves, and is the largest contiguous block of BP operated acreage in US Onshore
73 trillion cubic feet of gas in reserve
Continental Divide/Creston EIS 2014 covers 1.1 M acres 9,000 proposed wells with 500-900 of the proposed wells for coal bed methane, with a 20 year life expectancy
12.02 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 167 M barrels of liquid condensate
2,500 new direct jobs
Sinclair- Charles Schaub, operations, planning and strategy manager
Strong markets, such as jet fuels, Fed Ex fuel contract and new connection to Las Vegas for motor fuels
Pipelines are currently at capacity
80,600 continuous rate of production
Currently in a turn-around that is 40 days long, in second week. One thousand plus workers on that project
520 current Sinclair employees
Working with WWCC to upgrade operator skills with both Rock Springs and Rawlins Higher Ed Center
2M hours and two years of safe operations-non reportable issues with OSHA
Samson Resources- Tom Clayson
Began working in Wyoming in 2009. Field offices in Casper and Rawlins. 20 employees in Rawlins and 20 employees in Casper.
Endurance and Barricade units are west of Baggs east of Adobe Town WSA, Desolation Road is north of
Adobe Town WSA
Two rigs working in Endurance and Barricade this year- but limited by no year round drilling
Desolution Road is currently under exploration
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DKRW- Bob Kelly
Issues:
Under review with Industrial Siting Commission, December, 2013 meeting requires new socio-economic impact due in 30 months with construction to begin in 39 months, assuming Industrial Siting approves new construction schedule.
Financing (in excess of $1B). They are still looking at revived Dept. of Energy loan guarantee.
Denbury will buy the CO2. 87 octane regular gas delivered to Denver via pipeline and purchased by
Vitol.
Engineering- recently terminated contract with Sinopec- looking at new contracts with other engineering contractors. Benefit to Wyoming given recent EPA decision on coal fired power plants.
Questions:
Discussed the issue of waste water and waste water operations
Timing on the EIS of the Creston/Continental Divide this fall
Power Company of Wyoming /TransWest Express
Cindy Wallace gave handouts out on summary of the Chokecherry/Sierra Madre Wind Project and the
TransWest Express transmission line that was prepared by Kara Choquette who could not attend.
The BLM is now reviewing site-specific plans of development for the project components in
Environmental Assessments. The first EA covers development of internal haul road, an on-site rail facility for delivering turbines and components and an onsite quarry.
The second EA covers PCW’s phase 1 wind development consisting of 500 turbines. BLM anticipates finalizing both EAs by end of 2014.
The application for a permit from the Wyoming Industrial Siting Council is available on their website at http://deq.state.wy.us/isd/isdnews.htm
. Workforce numbers, workforce housing and housing plans, number of permanent jobs and estimated tax benefits in document.
89 month construction schedule
TransWest Express Transmission project- DC electric transmission system route is 725 miles. Northern terminal sited south of Sinclair on the Overland Trail Cattle Company ranch, southern terminal located near Hoover Dam in Nevada.
Final EIS document anticipated to be published September 2014.
Rocky Mountain Power-Gateway West/South
Dan Vink—new substation by Hanna, expanded three others in the area
Two reliability projects in Rawlins, two main feeders into Rawlins will be inspected and upgraded
Mickey Beaver- transmission
Gateway West- BLM Boise RAC still working on recommendations for routing solution- concerning bird mitigation final ROD late 2015
Gateway South- comment period is over for EIS, final EIS should be published early 2015
Estimated 2020-2022 for energizing of power transmission lines
BLM- Annette Treat
Administers 17.5 M acres in Wyoming
BLM administers 3.5 M acres of surface 4.5M acres of federal minerals in Rawlins area
Gave updates and contacts for various projects
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(Sand hills wind farm project plans have been withdrawn)
Source Gas- Norm Long, Manager of Community and Public Relations
Retail gas company serving four states- Wyoming, Colorado, Arkansas and Nebraska
Owned by GE Energy Financial Services and Alinda (50/50)
Serves 80,000 customers in Wyoming with plans to add 1,300 new meters in Wyoming in 2014
Proposed Chokecherry compression station at Walcott Junction- filed with Public Service Commission last year and it was approved March 2013. Will provide open access to current storage fields for gas storage
Currently storage and transmission rates are bundled and with this filing, the rates will be decoupled.
The project will improve reliability to Casper system which includes Rawlins and is consistent with
Governor’s Energy Plan
Chokecherry Interconnect and Compressor station projected in service June 2015
Ur Energy- Steve Hatten
Currently in operation at Lost Creek- started in August 2013
Uranium production company via in situ recovery process
Bought Pathfinder-Shirley Basin Mine operation and Lucky Mac operation last year and hope to have it in production in a few years
56 employees at Lost Creek site, with 29 from Rawlins area
Demand- 70 new nuclear reactors under construction in 13 countries, with 434 operable reactors worldwide currently
In 2012 world nuclear industry consumption was approx 180 M lbs and productions were only 153 m lbs
US domestic productions is 4m lbs of uranium/year and consumption was 55 M lbs per year
UR Energy sells in long term market at $50-$51 per lbs with spot market at $28 per lb
Revenues from operation Dec. 2013 is $5.7 M with 2014 1 st quarter at $6.7M
Estimates 9.2 M pounds recoverable at Lost Creek
Pathfinder- closed on sale in Dec 2013, with Shirley Basin project as Ur-Energy’s next production center
Approx 10 M lbs of resource with 5M lbs at Lucky Mac
Pathfinder has an ISR by product disposal facility that is fully licensed for operation
Questions:
If the Source Gas compression station is built at Walcott, the workforce will be about 20-30 during construction
They have formed a statewide committee to look at the potential to take natural gas to smaller communities following the failure of Senate File 114
Looking at:

Funding
 legislation countrywide as a model
 tariffs
 possible LNG for some communities
Carbon County Higher Education Update- Dave Throgmorton
Projected date of occupancy for new building is August 1, 2014
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Facility is designed to be a complete campus for the community which includes a connector road that ties the high school with new building. CCHEC runs the trades programs for the high school. This new facility will bring all of the trades together in one building that will be available 24 hours a day. They will also put together a weekend program for youth offenders.
Programs include: Instrumentation, manufacturing, health care (CNA to nursing), welding, construction trades, automotive, wood crafting, pre-engineering class for high school students, and safety training
Department of Workforce Services- Bill Schepler
Update on Workforce Development Training Fund: state funded program at $7.1M per biennium, with
$5.6M for workforce training grants. Can receive up to $2,000 per employee per year for workforce training needs
446 businesses used the training funds last year
Pre-hire training program allows for training of process technology potential employees to create a pool for industry
Current Carbon County unemployment rate is 3.7%. The local office can help with strategies to address workforce issues
Safety discounts for Workers Compensation rates are available through the DWS, including a grant to purchase safety training equipment
Lunch by the Wooden Spoon served at noon.
State of Wyoming Geological Survey- Tom Drean, Director and State Geologist
#1 State in Coal, uranium, trona, and bentonite
#2 in Helium
#5 in gas
#8 in Oil
Potential leader in rare earth elements
Wyoming is the second largest energy producer in the country, second to Texas
If you look at energy production minus the consumption- where it is exported out of state- Wyoming would be #1 (Providing more BTU’s then they consume)
Issues for Wyoming Coal
EPA power plant regulations and public perception
Competition with natural gas
Weather
The price of coal vs. the cost to mine coal
Ability to export to Asia Pacific Region
The decline in Wyoming coal production is market and regulatory driven, not resource limitation
Issues of Wyoming Gas
Regulation and approval times
New unconventional plays
Public opinion (i.e. fracking)
Distance to market
Price- short and long term
Quality of gas and liquid content
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Possibility of US exporting gas
Over 21,000 new gas wells could be drilled from 2015-2030 in already identified fields/plays
In addition, new unconventional plays could add to produced volumes and reserves
Market demand, supply, price and approval process will remain key factors
US dependency on energy imports continues to decline since unconventional plays began to develop
Shale gas production continues to grow, as they find more resources and new technology for recovery
Permitting for new play development in Wyoming is 7-10 years compared to other states that take 3-5 years
Issues for Wyoming Oil
Quality of oil
Public opinion
Association gas (flaring)
Learn curve/optimization
Availability of C02 & economics
Regulation and approval time
What do competing states have in common?
Most are on private lands
Fast approval times
Short cycle time from discovery to development
Companies have invested money into development
Issues for uranium
Price market public perception
Issues with alternative Sources
Cost
Reliability power storage
Cost of infrastructure
Growing concerns- birds, public health, etc
Tom’s thoughts:
Federal rules and regulations not likely to be reduced
Shale/unconventional play continue to expand
Public vs. private land development and time involved
Public will remain interested but uneducated
“Every time the national energy policy sneezes, Wyoming will no doubt catch a cold”
We need to get involved and informed and list to the public-using new public media
Look for & capitalize on value chain opportunities
Be a good corporate citizen- good jobs, safety, environmental stewardship, etc
Help key decision makers and public understand the impacts of regulations
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Get a handle on private vs. private land issues
Get actively involved in factual education on resource development-families, teachers and students
Heartland Energy Complex, Alberta, Canada- Senator Larry Hicks
Wyoming looking at value added development to enhance our mineral development
On March 8 th a group of Wyoming legislators were hosted by the Heartland Energy Complex.
The complex was a result of the oil tar sands in Alberta that serves as a model of value added development. The development is over 150,000 acres of light and heavy industrial development, including oil refineries, plastic industry, fertilizer, pharmaceuticals, and asphalt shingles. Average salary in Ft Mc Murry where they mine the tar sands is $90,000; in the value added industries the average household income is $140,000
One thing they lack is diversity of resources—dependent upon tar sands. Wyoming has a more diversified variety of resources- trona, coal, gas, rare earth minerals, lithium, bentonite, etc.
How can the state facilitate that private sector development? What is the role of government and the private sector? What can the government do to facilitate that development?
Governor has established a task force, and a select committee to analyze the challenges and needs
Our strengths:

Diversity of resources

Better transportation infrastructure

Pipelines
Reality of implementing it at a state level:
Federal constraints limit the ability to grow our economy through value added development
Private sector innovation will be the key to development
Next great crisis for the US:

Federal government consumes 25% of all goods and services created in USA.

Over $1 trillion deficit

Debt $26 trillion

$90 trillion in un-funded liabilities, Medicaid, Medicare, Welfare, etc
Development of this project will take strong leadership
Look at the role of the State of Wyoming in providing opportunities for value added projects. $150
Trillion of mineral development currently locked up in 11 western states
Task force and select committee will try to maximize opportunities to move the project forward to help raise the average household incomes in Wyoming
Wyoming Frontier Development- Marci Kasper
Brought Bill Gates to Wyoming to meet with officials. At the state and agency levels, the public presents issues but does not get the support, and follow up, needed. They hand them over to small communities that don’t know how to move forward with smart development. Need to strengthen the connection between the small communities and state government so they have the resources to succeed.
Memorial Hospital of Carbon County- Ned Hill
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Currently 184 employees
According to federal government core measures, the hospital is setting goals and improving in customer satisfaction, health care, physician recruitment, visiting physician recruitment
Growth initiatives
Open joint camp prepare community for hospital district vote spring 2015
Expand hours at Spruce and Energy Basin clinic
Increase utilization of swing bed service
Explore partnership with Wamsutter and Saratoga
Admissions are up in 2014, as are surgeries, and o/p visits and births. ER visits are down as a result of new clinics opening.
Finances- gross revenue and net revenue are up, and expenses are staying flat
NOI for 2013 was $1.9M, 2014 is $2.3M, 2015 projected at $2.0M
Operational improvements planned
Get revenue cycle A/R days Net to under 50
Salaries- reduce overtime percent from 4.3% to under 2%
Employee retention- reduce voluntary turnover from 33% to 17%
Financial operations- reduce credit balance to under 5%
Going paperless
100% prepared for ICD-10 deadline by Oct 1, 2015
Housing Survey- Cindy Wallace
Housing roundtables held last fall in Rawlins and Saratoga
Survey sent out to larger employers and 120 responses came back
58% of responders own their own homes; those that didn’t sited lack of affordable housing, and habitable available housing
Majority looking for 3 bedrooms in the $150,000-$200,000 price range
Rentals- renters would be willing to pay rents ranging from $500 - $1,000 per month
59 responders said they would move within the year if a better option became available
40 renters would buy a home if one they could afford became available
Comments: lack of housing for lower income and entry-level persons, housing costs are inflated, limited housing inventory in all of Carbon County communities
Issues with quality of the housing that is available; not all inventory is listed with a realtor-need to talk to town clerks in the smaller towns for available housing
CCEDC suggested to hold another housing roundtable.
Wrap Up- Cindy Wallace thanked everyone for attending and thanks given again to sponsors Anadarko,
BLM, WLC, Ur-Energy, Sinclair, and BP!
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