Wyoming State Geological Survey (2024)

Oil

In 2022, Wyoming ranked eighth nationally in crude oil production.
Wyoming produced 90.9 million barrels of crude oil in 2022, up from 85.5 million barrels in 2021.
The Mike Murphy #1 well was the first oil well drilled in Wyoming. It was drilled in 1884 next to a natural oil seep and was the discovery well for the Dallas field, which is still an active oil field today.
Since its 1889 discovery, Salt Creek field has produced more than 737 million barrels of oil from its estimated 1,680 million barrels of oil originally in place.
Quealy field was the first field in the Rocky Mountain region to be discovered using seismic methods. The California Company used reflection seismic surveys to delineate the Quealy Dome anticline and drilled the first productive well in Quealy field in 1934.
The first refinery in Wyoming was built in Casper and began processing crude oil in 1895. It had an initial capacity of 50–100 barrels of oil per day. In comparison, Casper’s modern-day Little America refinery has a total operable capacity of 30,000 barrels per stream day.”
In 2022, five counties accounted for more than 80% of all oil produced in Wyoming. Those counties are, with percent of state total, Converse County (39.4%), Campbell County (21.7%), Laramie County (9.1%), Park County (5.3%), and Natrona County (5%).

Click the graph to view the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission’s state oil production

Natural Gas

In 2022, Wyoming ranked ninth nationally in natural gas production.
Wyoming produced more than 1.29 billion Mcf (Mcf — 1,000 cubic feet) of natural gas in 2022, down from 1.38 billion Mcf in 2021.
Through 2022, coalbed natural gas wells in the Powder River Basin have cumulatively produced more than 6.65 billion Mcf of gas from shallow Fort Union and Wasatch coals.
Jonah field was discovered in 1975, but most of its development did not begin until 1992 when multi-stage hydraulic fracturing was used by the McMurry Oil Company to release the tight gas. These, and other innovative techniques such as horizontal completions, have since been used to exploit the tight gas and oil from Jonah field and the nearby Pinedale anticline.
The Rocky Mountain completion depth record was set by the Bighorn 1-5 (API 49-013-21362). This well was completed between 23,758 and 23,902 feet in the Madison Limestone and had an initial production rate of 20,000 Mcf of gas per day. The subsequent Bighorn 2-3 well (API 49-013-21510) was completed between 23,579 and 23,852 feet in the Madison with an initial production rate of 38,000 Mcf of gas per day. These two wells established the deepest commercial gas production in the Rocky Mountain region as part of the Madden field.
The LaBarge-Shute Creek treating facility processes gas from wells within the Madison Limestone. This gas is rich in carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen sulfide, and commercial quantities of helium. Excess carbon dioxide is transported via pipeline to the Rangely field in northern Colorado and several fields in Wyoming for enhanced oil recovery operations.
In 2022, five counties accounted for more than 85% of all natural gas produced in Wyoming. Those counties are, with percent of state total, Sublette County (51.1%), Sweetwater County (12.7%), Converse County (7.3%), Fremont County (7.0%), and Campbell County (7.0%).

Click the graph to view the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission’s state natural gas production

Wyoming's Oil & Gas Reserves

Wyoming had 978 million barrels of proven oil reserves in 2021, which accounted for nearly 2.4 percent of the U.S. total reserves.
As of 2021, Wyoming had an estimated 15,005 billion cubic feet of proven reserves of dry natural gas, or 2.5 percent of total U.S. reserves.

Sources: Interactive Oil and Gas Map of Wyoming
U.S. Energy Information Agency
Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission

Oil & Gas Prices

For information on historical, current, and future prices, please refer to the following:

Oil & Gas FAQ

►How do I obtain information on oil or gas wells drilled in Wyoming?

All oil and gas well information is maintained in a database by the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (WOGCC). The database is accessible at the WOGCC website.

►Who regulates the oil and gas exploration and production industry?

Drilling and production on Wyoming State Lands and on private lands are regulated by the WOGCC. Drilling on federal land is regulated primarily by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management or the U.S. Forest Service.

►I own property in Wyoming with mineral rights. How can I learn if oil, gas, or other minerals may be on my land?

The WSGS is not in a position to evaluate properties. However, there are many consulting geologists throughout the state that can help answer this question. Consulting geologists can be found locally or often advertise in the newsletter published by the Wyoming Geological Association. Certified professional geologists are licensed by the Wyoming Board of Professional Geologists and a list is maintained at their website.

►I hear so much about “fracking” in the news but don’t really understand what it is. Where can I find more information?

Fracking is another term used for "hydraulic fracturing.” Hydraulic fracturing involves pumping a mixture of water, proppant (sand or artificial material), and chemicals under very high pressure into an oil or gas reservoir to create a network of connected fractures that increases hydrocarbon production. More information on hydraulic fracturing can be found on websites by the Association of American State Geologists, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Watershed Council, and American Petroleum Institute.

►Is there a repository for cores and/or cuttings in Wyoming?

No. All publicly available cores and cuttings for Wyoming (as well as other states) are stored either at the USGS Core Research Center in Lakewood, Colorado or at the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology in multiple locations in Texas. Contact these agencies for more information.

►Do you have any information on historical oil production in Wyoming?

WyoHistory.org published an article on “The Oil Business in Wyoming” by Phil Roberts detailing how oil production in Wyoming began and evolved.

The Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission maintains scans of individual well production prior to 1978 in their database.

►Where can I find more information on statistics for Wyoming’s oil and gas industry?

Further information on oil and gas statistics, including production, prices, and more, can be obtained from the following downloads or website:

►What other agencies might have useful Wyoming oil and gas information?

Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (WOGCC)—permits oil and gas wells and maintains production, injection, and sales data in their database
Department of Geology and Geophysics—University of Wyoming
Department of Energy and Petroleum Engineering—University of Wyoming
Wyoming Energy Authority—provides strategy, collaboration, and support for Wyoming’s entire energy portfolio
Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute (EORI)—University of Wyoming institute that works toward enhanced oil recovery in Wyoming oil fields
Petroleum Association of Wyoming (PAW)—petroleum industry trade association
School of Energy Resources (SER)—based at the University of Wyoming and focusing on energy-related education, research, and outreach
Wyoming Bureau of Land Management (BLM)—10 field offices regulate drilling on BLM land
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)—works with Wyoming’s air, land, and water resources
Wyoming Geological Association (WGA)—association for all geological interests, many consulting geologists advertise through the WGA
Wyoming Office of State Lands and Investments—manages Wyoming State Lands, including oil and gas leases on these lands

Contact:
Rachel Toner, rachel.toner@wyo.gov
Derek Lichtner, derek.lichtner@wyo.gov

See Also

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Greetings, I'm an industry expert with a profound understanding of Wyoming's oil and gas landscape. My expertise stems from years of immersion in the intricacies of the state's energy production, from historical developments to contemporary trends. Allow me to demonstrate my depth of knowledge by dissecting the information provided in the article.

Wyoming's Crude Oil Production: In 2022, Wyoming secured its position as the eighth-largest crude oil producer nationally, with a notable increase from 85.5 million barrels in 2021 to 90.9 million barrels. The historical context reveals the state's rich oil heritage, dating back to the discovery of the Mike Murphy #1 well in 1884, marking the inception of the Dallas field—a still active oil field today. The Salt Creek field, discovered in 1889, has played a pivotal role, yielding over 737 million barrels of oil from its estimated reserves. The Quealy field stands out for being the first in the Rocky Mountain region discovered using seismic methods in 1934.

The evolution of Wyoming's oil industry is underscored by the establishment of the first refinery in Casper in 1895, initially processing 50–100 barrels of oil per day. A sharp contrast exists with Casper's modern Little America refinery, boasting a capacity of 30,000 barrels per stream day in 2022. Notably, five counties—Converse, Campbell, Laramie, Park, and Natrona—contributed to over 80% of the state's oil production.

Natural Gas Production in Wyoming: In 2022, Wyoming claimed the ninth spot in national natural gas production, producing over 1.29 billion Mcf, a slight decrease from 1.38 billion Mcf in 2021. The Powder River Basin, particularly coalbed natural gas wells, has been a significant contributor, yielding more than 6.65 billion Mcf of gas. Innovations like multi-stage hydraulic fracturing, employed by the McMurry Oil Company in Jonah field since 1992, exemplify Wyoming's commitment to adopting cutting-edge techniques.

The LaBarge-Shute Creek treating facility stands as a testament to Wyoming's advanced gas processing capabilities, extracting carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen sulfide, and commercial quantities of helium from gas within the Madison Limestone. Wyoming's natural gas production is concentrated in five counties—Sublette, Sweetwater, Converse, Fremont, and Campbell—accounting for over 85% of the state's total production.

Wyoming's Oil & Gas Reserves: As of 2021, Wyoming held 978 million barrels of proven oil reserves, contributing nearly 2.4% to the U.S. total. In the same year, the state possessed an estimated 15,005 billion cubic feet of proven reserves of dry natural gas, representing 2.5% of the total U.S. reserves.

Oil & Gas Prices and FAQs: For those seeking information on historical, current, and future prices, various sources like the EIA short-term energy outlook, Wyoming crude oil first purchase prices, WTI spot prices, and others are recommended. The FAQs provide valuable insights, addressing topics such as well information, regulatory bodies, property mineral rights, hydraulic fracturing, and more.

Wyoming Oil and Gas Information Resources: Numerous agencies and organizations play key roles in the state's oil and gas landscape. The Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (WOGCC), U.S. Bureau of Land Management, University of Wyoming departments, the Wyoming Energy Authority, and industry associations like the Petroleum Association of Wyoming (PAW) are invaluable sources of information.

In conclusion, Wyoming's oil and gas industry epitomizes a rich history intertwined with technological advancements, strategic reserves, and a robust regulatory framework—a testament to the state's significance in the national energy landscape. For further exploration, the provided contacts, including Rachel Toner and Derek Lichtner, offer direct avenues for inquiries and deeper understanding.