University of Wyoming Sues Energy Partner for $2.5 Million

The University of Wyoming asked a federal court for a jury trial after it said ACU Energy failed to make any payments owed under a 2024 contract to advance enhanced oil recovery research. The complaint, filed December 17 in Wyoming s U.S. District Court, says ACU agreed to provide $15 million over a six year research period, making $2.5 million in annual payments in two installments each year. The university alleges ACU did not pay "even a cent owed under the Agreement," leaving $2,500,000 in unpaid invoices.

University filings state that UW complied with its obligations by assembling a research team, training members, and incurring costs to modify laboratory space at the Center of Innovation for Flow Through Porous Media. The center is part of UW s Research Centers of Excellence in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences and operates a High Bay research facility that has received both public and private investment and donations from major industry companies. Mohammad Piri is identified in court documents as the center s leader and the principal investigator for the UW ACU partnership.

ACU notified the university in February that it was terminating the contract, and UW declared ACU in breach of contract in May before filing suit in December. The university s legal action seeks recovery of the outstanding $2.5 million and asserts that the unpaid funds resulted from ACU s failure to meet its payment obligations under the agreement.

For Albany County the case matters beyond headline figures. The center supports local researchers, graduate students, and specialized lab operations that contribute to jobs and procurement in Laramie and the surrounding region. Delayed or missing payments can strain operating budgets, delay experiments, and complicate commitments tied to matching public funds and industry donations. The litigation also highlights broader questions about how public research institutions structure contracts with private energy companies, and what protections should be required to shield community investments when partnerships falter.

Enhanced oil recovery methods researched at UW aim to extend the productive life of oilfields, a technical focus with direct relevance to Wyoming s energy economy. The outcome of the lawsuit will determine whether UW recovers the unpaid funds and how quickly the center can stabilize finances and continue its work.