Several state agencies and WellDog announced  that they have initiated a pilot program to locate and qualify natural gas possibly overlooked by coalbed methane operators in Wyoming's Powder River Basin. The agencies include the Wyoming State Geological Survey, Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission and the Wyoming Office of State Lands. The program involves using WellDog's GasSpotter technical services to locate and quantify gas in abandoned and distressed properties. They will also use the Wyoming State Geological Survey's isotope enrichment services to qualify whether or not the gas can be produced. Tom Doll, Supervisor of the Wyoming Oil and Gas Commission, says the goal of the project is to demonstrate that substantial natural gas remains untapped in the Powder River Basin and that its production can occur in an economical and responsible fashion.  John M. Pope, PhD, President and CEO of WellDog says the pilot project will demonstrate in a small way the level of CBM gas asset that remains to be produced in Wyoming and the tax revenue that is at stake. According to Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission records, about four trillion cubic feet of natural gas has been produced from coals in the Powder River Basin to date. The U.S. Department of Energy report estimates and an additional 8 to 23 trillion cubic feet of gas are economically recoverable, with the exact amount depending on gas prices and water management costs.

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