Wyoming’s first-year Gov. Mark Gordon has decided to explore new avenues for accessing export markets for his state’s considerable natural gas reserves.

Gordon recently joined the newly formed Western States and Tribal Nations (WSTN) through a memorandum of understanding (MOU). WSTN is the byproduct of a report released in April by the Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) outlining how U.S. gas resources can help fuel regional and global communities.

The CEA report concluded that “strong and growing demand” for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the Pacific Basin was a ready driver for western gas supplies, such as the Uinta and Piceance basins in Utah and Colorado, respectively.

Wyoming’s new MOU adds the state’s pipeline authority to WSTN, and the gas report will be expanded to include Wyoming’s natural gas reserves, infrastructure capacity, and potential to serve the international LNG markets. The report already has confirmed that pipeline takeaway capacity is abundant throughout the West.

“Wyoming has abundant gas, and we have worked long and hard to maximize the value of that resource to our residents,” Gordon said. “This coalition allows us to partner on additional efforts to develop gas responsibly and ensure it is used to meet the energy needs of America and the world.”

Petroleum Association of Wyoming President Pete Obermueller said the MOU helps “ensure that Wyoming’s clean natural gas can reach markets where demand for energy is high.”

Other WSTN members include representatives from Utah, the Ute Native American Tribe, and four western Colorado counties.

The group will focus on providing leadership and developing a strategic, collaborative approach toward gas development, according to Wyoming governor’s office spokesperson Michael Pearlman.