The Uintah Conference Center was at capacity on Wednesday for day 1 of the 2025 Uintah Basin Energy Summit. Over 500 attendees gathered for presentations from industry leaders and relevant legislative updates. Uintah County Economic Development Director Travis Campbell says there has been growing interest in the energy industry and the variety of people in attendance at the Energy Summit is a good metric for broader support than just those tied to the industry. Among the many presentations on Wednesday, an air quality panel was held that shared some positive news. While the wintertime ozone issue has placed the region into Nonattainment status, the EPA is reconsidering the level of classification. In the meantime, there are things to celebrate. Basin-wide, methane emissions have declined. In 2013, 5 percent of energy produced was lost to the atmosphere as methane while in 2024, only 1.5% of energy produced was lost to the atmosphere as methane. The decline in methane emissions has also occurred during a period of increased energy production. The panel, which was led by Director of the Bingham Research Center Dr. Seth Lyman, discussed how increased awareness, technology, proactive operators, better designs, and more are to thank for the decline in emissions.
