Energy Expo is Sept. 17

RBC — One piece of advice representatives from Pinedale, Wyo., gave at the end of August during an idea exchange about working with the energy industry was to share information.
That will happen next week.
The first Energy Expo will take place Sept. 17 at the Fairfield Center in Meeker. The informational event is open to residents and businesses from Rio Blanco County.
“The idea is for citizens to come ask questions and learn more about our industry,” said Susan Alvillar of Williams Energy, a major sponsor of the event, along with EnCana Oil and Gas. “We’re very excited about this opportunity to share information and educate people in Rio Blanco County about energy and how we do it.”
The Energy Expo was patterned after other regional informational meetings put on in Grand Junction, Rifle and Craig.
“We want this expo to focus, specifically, on work that is being done in Rio Blanco County,” said Suzan Pelloni, director of the Meeker Chamber of Commerce. “Representatives from a wide spectrum of companies and agencies will be on hand to help our community better understand what is happening in the Piceance Creek Basin.”
These other informational meetings have been successful, Alvillar said. She’s hoping for the same result in Rio Blanco County.
“They have been very well attended,” she said. “The reason is, people are anxious to know what is going on in their area, and it doesn’t hurt to serve really good food.”
There will be a sandwich buffet during lunch and a dessert buffet that night.
The day-long event, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., will include informational booths as well as a guest speaker — Vince Matthews, state geologist and director of the Colorado Geological Survey — who will give presentations over the lunch hour and later that evening.
“He has a fascinating presentation about all of the minerals that Colorado contributes to the national good,” Alvillar said.
The expo has been in the works since January. Alvillar is pleased the timing of the event follows soon after the visit to Rio Blanco County by representatives from Pinedale, Wyo.
“It was by happenstance that occurred,” she said. “But I do think it’s a good serendipity for folks (to have the expo) on the heels of that discussion.”
Among the groups or other companies that will be represented at the expo are ConocoPhillips, Enterprise Products, Hallibur-ton, Colorado Mountain College, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service.
“Thus far, we have about 17 to 20 vendors,” Pelloni said. “I truly hope our community will want to attend and learn. All ages are welcome, and the reps are capable of answering a wide variety of questions.”
So far, judging by the interest from vendors, the response has been good.
“We’re just really excited to have an event like this in Meeker,” Alvillar said. “We could have probably doubled the size of the event, if we had more space available.”