Kristen Beck, Alyssa Wechsler, Jake Olenick, Tyrell Hulet and Nolan Bray, students at the University of Wyoming, brief Senator John Barrasso on their concepts for access to environmentally sensitive oil and gas sites.

University of Wyoming Students Take First Place at the 2008 Environmentally Friendly Drilling-Disappearing Roads Competition at Texas A&M University

June 1, 2008 -The Environmentally Friendly Drilling - Disappearing Roads Competition Finals and Awards Event recognized the two finalists from a year long student competition among University students across the U.S. The two teams were selected from 12 initial entries submitted in the fall of 2007. The goal of the competition was for teams to create a concept of moving personnel and materials to and from drilling wells sites with minimal or no impact on the environment. University teams presented their concepts for a Disappearing Road to a panel of judges from sponsors of the Environmentally Friendly Drilling Program in College Station on May 29th 2008.  Judges included Dr. John Hall, Global Environmental Specialist from Halliburton, Ms. Sharon Buccino of the Natural Resources Defense Council and Mr. Guido DeHoratiis, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Department of Energy.

The finalists for 2008 are The University of Wyoming and Texas A&M University. The University of Wyoming research teams, represented by mechanical engineering students Jake Olenick of Cody, Kristen Beck of Laramie, Nolan Bray of Riverton, civil engineering student Tyrell Hulet of Buffalo and ENR student Alyssa Wechsler of Laramie were part of a team that developed a layered mat, roll-out road system and a modular frame design. These concepts came from the need to minimize soil disruption and wildlife fragmentation in Jonah Field and Pinedale Anticline Production Area, PAPA, of the upper Green River Valley, Wyoming.

The A&M team has proposed the use of a sky lift system, similar to those adopted in mining operations (often referred to as aerial tramways), that would be installed via helicopter. Pairing the sky lift system with pipelines to transport drilling and production fluids outside the area would significantly minimize the environmental impact, especially when compared to using a traditional road.

The Wyoming team was a multidisciplinary senior design class headed by Dr. Charles Dolan, H. T. Person Professor of Engineering. The team visited the Jonah Field met with representatives of EnCana USA, Questar Exploration Inc and the Bureau of Land Management. In addition to receiving industry input on their concepts, the team had the opportunity to brief Sen. John Barrasso on the environmental, cost, and production aspects of their design prior to travelling to Texas for the competition. The students each receive a share of the $20,000 first prize Award provided by Halliburton. The presentation team included 11 students from mechanical engineering, nine civil engineering students, one electrical engineering student and one student from the School of Energy Resources. Team members were:

Evan M. Anderson
Jacob Daniel Arvizu
Kristen Marie Beck
Andrew L. Boomgarden
Nolan Charles Bray
Benjamin J. Gorman
Nicholas J.J. Gurbhoo
Eric D. Holifield
Tyrel J Hulet
Clinton D. Jones
Guy J. Jordan
James Darren Lucas
Seth Patrick McCormick
Joseph K. Messner
Jacob S. Olenick
Timothy D. Osterloo
Daniel Lawrence Paul
Stetson B Ramey
James R. Staebler
Zachary N. Taylor
Alyssa M Wechsler
Jonathan Zobell