Bill > SF0020

This bill establishes a new bonding program for oil and gas operators in Wyoming designed to provide additional financial assurance for well plugging, reclamation, and other regulatory requirements. The Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission will be required to create rules for a voluntary bonding pool that operators can participate in, with specific conditions: participating operators must be in good standing, and the commission may assess a small fee (not to exceed 0.5 mills per dollar) on oil and gas production starting July 1, 2030, to fund the pool. If the collected funds are insufficient, the commission can use unexpended funds from an existing account. The bill allows the commission to establish a secondary financial assurance mechanism if contracting with an external entity is not feasible, and provides flexibility for managing bonds on federal lands. Operators will still be required to maintain their existing bonding obligations, and the commission must provide annual reports on the program's performance, including the number of participants, funds collected, and bonds supported. The program aims to ensure that there are adequate funds available to address abandoned wells and reclamation requirements, while potentially offering some bonding requirement reductions for operators in good standing after a comprehensive risk analysis.

Business and Industry

Minerals, Business and Economic Development (J)

https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2025/SF0020