The Energy Transition for Oil- and Gas-Producing Tribal Nations: Assessing Options for Energy Development with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe

This paper presents the results of a multi-year collaborative research project between the authors, several other researchers, and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, a natural gas-producing Tribe whose Reservation sits near the “Four Corners” region of southwestern Colorado. In this collaboration, we worked with the Tribe to inform their decision-making about future energy development by producing multiple scenarios depicting the potential for natural gas, wind, and solar development on their Reservation. We find that natural gas production on the Reservation—absent the development of new shale formations—declines under all scenarios through 2050, as do associated Tribal revenues. We also find that solar—but not wind—development may be economically viable on parts of the Reservation. Along with these quantitative results, we believe that our collaborative research approach may serve as a model for other scholars who wish to work with Tribal nations within the United States as they seek to ensure their sovereignty in a changing energy landscape.