Amendments to the Methane Hydrate Research and Development Act of 2000

(a)

Findings

Section 2 of the Methane Hydrate Research and Development Act of 2000 (30 U.S.C. 2001) is amended— (1)in paragraph (4), by striking and at the end; (2)in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and (3)by adding at the end the following:

(6)methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that may be exchanged between terrestrial methane hydrate reservoirs and the atmosphere by natural or anthropogenic processes; and (7)the short- and long-term release of methane from arctic or marine reservoirs may have significant environmental effects, including global climate change.

(b)

Methane hydrate research and development program

(1)

In general

Section 4 of the Methane Hydrate Research and Development Act of 2000 (30 U.S.C. 2003) is amended by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:

(b)

Grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, interagency funds transfer agreements, and field work proposals

(1)

Assistance and coordination

In carrying out the program of methane hydrate research and development authorized by this section, the Secretary may award grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, institutions that— (A)conduct basic and applied research to identify, explore, assess, and develop methane hydrate as a commercially viable source of energy; (B)identify and characterize methane hydrate resources using remote sensing and seismic data, including the characterization of hydrate concentrations in marine reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean Basin by the date that is 4 years after the date of enactment of the Methane Hydrate Research and Development Amendments Act of 2015; (C)develop technologies required for efficient and environmentally sound development of methane hydrate resources; (D)conduct basic and applied research to assess and mitigate the environmental impact of hydrate degassing (including natural degassing and degassing associated with commercial development); (E)develop technologies to reduce the risks of drilling through methane hydrates; (F)conduct exploratory drilling, well testing, and production testing operations on permafrost and nonpermafrost gas hydrates in support of the activities authorized by this paragraph, including— (i)drilling of a test well and performing a long-term hydrate production test on land in the United States Arctic region by the date that is 4 years after the date of enactment of the Methane Hydrate Research and Development Amendments Act of 2015; (ii)drilling of a test well and performing a long-term hydrate production test in a marine environment by the date that is 10 years after the date of enactment of the Methane Hydrate Research and Development Amendments Act of 2015; and (iii)drilling a full-scale production test well at a location to be determined by the Secretary; or (G)expand education and training programs in methane hydrate resource research and resource development through fellowships or other means for graduate education and training. (2)

Environmental monitoring

The Secretary shall conduct a long-term environmental monitoring program to study the effects of production from methane hydrate reservoirs. (3)

Competitive peer review

Funds made available under paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be made available based on a competitive process using external scientific peer review of proposed research.

(2)

Conforming amendment

Section 4(e) of the Methane Hydrate Research and Development Act of 2000 (30 U.S.C. 2003(e)) is amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking subsection (b)(1) and inserting paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b). (c)

Authorization of appropriations

The Methane Hydrate Research and Development Act of 2000 is amended by striking section 7 (30 U.S.C. 2006) and inserting the following:

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act.