EERC urges continued research funding as carbon capture, rare‑earth work and Bakken EOR pilots advance

Charles Gorecki, chief executive officer of the Energy & Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota, told the joint House and Senate energy committees that the EERC is expanding pilot and commercial‑scale work across carbon capture, enhanced oil recovery (EOR), rare earths, lignite‑derived carbon products and hydrogen supply chain analysis.

"For the record, my name is Charles Gorecki. I'm the CEO at the Energy and Environmental Research Center," Gorecki said, opening a broad presentation of the center’s activity and state‑level research partnerships.

Gorecki said the EERC had roughly $96.9 million in funding in fiscal year 2024, employed more than 240 staff plus student employees, and has completed 63 projects under its State Energy Research Center program. He asked the committees to consider extending and increasing State Energy Research Center support; Senate Bill 2143 would extend the program’s sunset and proposes raising the biennial allocation from $7.5 million to $10 million.

Gorecki highlighted several research outcomes already moving toward commercialization: the "polar bear" technology to reduce flaring by capturing low‑volume gas streams — which attracted more than $3 million in follow‑on funding and commercial interest from a North Dakota manufacturer — and…