The Cowboy State is struggling. Low demand for oil, gas, and coal is crippling the local economy, and lawmakers are scrambling for solutions. Production has been limited and exploration for new wells has come to a grinding halt. But is there some relief on the horizon?

COVID-19 has taken a major toll on the oil and gas industry as a whole, but Wyoming, a state highly dependent on its abundance of natural resources, is really feeling the sting. And the dominoes are already starting to fall.  The rig count in Wyoming fell from 30 rigs in March to just two rigs in early June. Experts estimate that for every rig lost, around 100 oil and gas jobs cease to exist. And though oil prices have rebounded in recent weeks, a full recovery of Wyoming’s oil and gas industry appears unlikely in the short or even medium term.

Even one of the Cowboy State’s top producers is throwing in the towel. At least for now.

One of Wyoming’s top oil producers, Ultra Petroleum Corp., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Thursday evening. This is the result of months of financial problems sparked by the COVID-19 fueled downturn in energy markets.

Last updated on Sun., June 14, 2020.