Green River Basin
Producing since the beginning
of the 20th century.
GREEN River Basin
The Greater Green River Basin is in southwest Wyoming and includes communities such as Pinedale, La Barge, Farson, Rock Springs and Green River. It has been producing since the beginning of the 20th century. A predominantly gas-producing basin, with some associated oil production as well, the Green River Basin is home to 295 named fields, nearly 100 trillion cubic feet of CO2, and the United States’ most significant helium reserve.
While the Green River Basin has long been a significant producer of energy, it was truly transformed in the early 1990s through the evolution of hydraulic fracturing which allowed for the development of the Jonah Field and Pinedale Anticline Project Area which became one of the largest natural gas developments in North America.
The residents of Southwest Wyoming understand the industry can continue to support thriving communities, a vibrant workforce and exceptional facilities from Pinedale to Rock Springs while also protecting the world class wildlife, outdoor and water resources of the area. In fact, operators in the area go above and beyond state and federal standards for leak detection and environmental stewardship by utilizing state of the art leak detection monitoring equipment, conducting basin-wide plane flights and localized drone use for routine monitoring and continuously updating operating procedures.
98%
Green River Basin residents who believe that the
local economy benefits from the production of oil and natural gas.
Green River Basin residents who believe economic activities such as oil and natural gas production can be compatible with recreation, hunting, fishing and conservation.
83%
What’s Under Your Feet?
The Green River Basin continues to produce mostly natural gas and is home to 63 of the top 100 highest-producing gas fields in Wyoming. Compared to oil, natural gas has a much faster production decline curve after being drilled. This means that continuous drilling is required to maintain production volumes in the Green River Basin.
Production
Production in the Green River Basin has declined from a high in 2009 where 15.9 million barrels of oil and 1.43 trillion cubic feet of gas were produced. However, a return of demand for petroleum products post-COVID has seen drilling activity return to the area and the Pinedale Anticline and Jonah Fields continue to be the 1st and 3rd largest gas fields in Wyoming respectively.
Additionally, the Normally Pressured Lance project is working its way through the federal approval process and could help offset the decline in production in the area, according to the Wyoming State Geological Survey (WSGS).
Geology
According to the WSGS, the Green River Basin is made up of several sub-basins including the Green River, Great Divide, Washakie and Sand Wash Basins. Formed over time during the Cretaceous and Eocene periods, the basin traps much of its petroleum resources in anticlinal traps – secondary folds over larger geologic uplifts. The Jonah gas field is a structural trap in which the gas is trapped in the Lance Formation sandstones which requires the use of hydraulic fracturing to release gas in economical quantities.
Oil production primarily occurs in the Upper Cretaceous Frontier Formation and Mesaverde Group while carbon dioxide and helium production near La Barge is from the Mississippian Madison Limestone. Across the Green River Basin, nearly every formation is known to contain hydrocarbons at one point or another.
The Greater Green River Basin is structurally complex in its geologic formations with significant variation in depth and overlap which plays a significant role in trapping natural gas in the area. Below is a simplified graphic of what is happening beneath your feet in the basin. Resources can be produced from a variety of depths across the strata.
Below you will find a simplified depiction of the geology across the Green River Basin. Scroll over it to explore.
Technological advancements have played an outsized part in the advancement of the Green River Basin throughout its history and continues to do so today. From the advancements in hydraulic fracturing that unlocked the gas fields of the area in the early 1990s to horizontal drilling and continuous methane monitoring programs that reduce disturbance and emissions from production, the industry continues to work under an ethos of continual improvement.
COMMUNITY AND OUTDOORS
Southwest Wyoming is home to some of Wyoming’s most treasured topography – abundant wildlife, unmatched outdoor recreation opportunities, and vast agriculture production. It is also home to world class natural resources that support the local economy and build vibrant communities that are the pride of the people who live and work in places like Pinedale, La Barge, Rock Springs and Farson.
It is commonly known across the Green River Basin that “so goes oil and gas, so goes the economy.” But the industry is about more than that… it’s about people. The men and women who work in the oil and natural gas community are passionate about what they do, and passionate about their corner of the state. They know they are providing the fuel that powers Wyoming and the word. They know they do it cleaner, safer and more efficiently than anywhere else and they know when they are gone there will still be the same opportunities for their kids and grandkids.
96%
of residents in the Green River Basin approve of oil and natural gas production in Wyoming.
The Green River Basin, and all of Wyoming for that matter, have incredible education facilities that were made possible thanks to the energy industry. Facilities like Western Wyoming Community College and the Pinedale Aquatic Center are a testament to the value Wyomingites put on education and are made possible in large part by the natural resources that exist in the Green River Basin.
The oil and natural gas industry is proud to be Wyoming’s largest contributor to education funding in Wyoming – Powering Wyoming’s Potential.
$1.39B
The amount of money the oil and natural gas industry contributed to K-12 education in 2022.
$50M
The amount of money the oil and natural gas industry contributed to higher education in Wyoming in 2022, including Western Wyoming Community College.