BP plans to close gas plant, lay off 45

Forty-five Wyoming workers — mostly in-state residents — will lose their jobs when BP America Production Co. closes the Whitney Canyon natural gas processing plant near Evanston by year’s end, according to the company.

BP announced the decision to close the plant Wednesday, noting that production in the field has declined from 365 million cubic feet of gas per day in 1985 to 110 million cubic feet per day today. Production in the Whitney field will continue, but the gas from BP’s remaining 28 wells will be re-routed to Chevron’s Carter Creek processing plant.
“The decision to reroute the natural gas from BP’s Whitney Canyon Plant to Chevron’s Carter Creek Plant will help extend the economic life of the Whitney Canyon gas field and provide continued production and tax revenues from this important Wyoming asset,” Christina Verchere, vice president of BP’s Western Wyoming Performance Unit, said in prepared statement.

In a statement, Evanston Mayor William Davis said the announcement by BP came as a surprise.

“At a time when the energy industry seems to be in a growth and expansion mode, news of a cutback and processing plant closure is unexpected. Evanston will do all that we can do to recover from this loss of jobs and revenue in our community.”

Casper Star-Tribune