[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 26, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 81515]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-32858]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


National Energy Technology Laboratory; Notice of Availability of 
a Financial Assistance Solicitation

AGENCY: National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Department of 
Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Financial Assistance Solicitation.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the intent to issue Financial 
Assistance Solicitation No. DE-PS26-01NT40869 entitled ``Methane 
Hydrates.'' This solicitation supports the Department of Energy's 
Strategic Plan to develop the knowledge base for assessing the vast 
deposits of methane hydrates and to promote the technology for their 
safe and effective recovery. The solicitation is being issued by the 
Natural Gas Hydrate Program which is part of NETL's Strategic Center 
for Natural Gas. This solicitation will focus on gas hydrates in the 
Gulf of Mexico and the North Slope of Alaska. These are the two 
principal regions of industry interest, primarily because they contain 
known occurrences of hydrates the existing infrastructure for drilling 
and production of conventional hydrocarbons.

DATES: The solicitation will be available on the DOE/NETL's Internet 
address at http://www.netl.doe.gov/business on or about January 12, 
2001. Since DOE does not intend to issue a draft solicitation on the 
subject solicitation, prospective applicants are invited to e-mail any 
comments and/or questions associated with the ``need'' areas identified 
in this announcement. Please submit all comments/questions to Dona 
Sheehan via the Internet at [email protected] by COB on January 5, 
2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dona G. Sheehan, U.S. Department of 
Energy, Nation Energy Technology Laboratory, P.O. Box 10940, MS 921-
107, Pittsburgh, PA 15236-0940, E-mail Address: [email protected], 
Telephone Number: 421/386-5918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The solicitation will request R&D proposals 
for work in the Gulf of Mexico that will result in information and 
technology that promotes: (1) Safe drilling and production operations 
for conventional hydrocarbons in hydrate-bearing areas, (2) a better 
understanding of seafloor stability issues related to gas hydrates, (3) 
improved methodologies for hydrate resource characterization and (4) 
initiation of feasibility studies for producing methane from hydrates. 
Offerors should propose research that supports the needs of industry, 
as outlined in the ``Gulf of Mexico Hydrates R&D Planning Workshop'' 
report which is available on the web at www.netl.doe.gov/publications/proceedings/00/hydrates/00hydrate.html.
    R&D proposals for work in the Alaskan North Slope will be requested 
that will result in information and technology leading to: (1) Improved 
imaging and characterization of the hydrate resource, (2) improved 
sampling and modeling techniques to develop hydrate reservoir 
information and (3) planning and feasibility analysis of production 
test well(s).
    R&D proposals to evaluate the potential of utilizing synthetic 
hydrates to transport stranded gas to market, both in the offshore Gulf 
of Mexico and the onshore North Slope of Alaska, will also be 
requested.
    DOE anticipates issuing financial assistance (Cooperative 
Agreement) awards. DOE reserves the right to support or not support, 
with or without discussions, any or all applications received in whole 
or in part, and to determine how may awards will be made.
    Multiple awards are anticipated. Approximately $15 million of DOE 
funding is planned over a 3 year period for this solicitation. National 
Laboratories may participate as team members; however, they may not act 
as the prime awardee and total funding to the Laboratory must not 
exceed 15% of the total project cost. If a project which includes 
National Laboratory participation is approved for funding, DOE intends 
to make an award to the applicant for its portion of the effort and to 
provide direct funding for the National Laboratories portion of the 
effort as a Field Work Proposal (FWP). DOE has determined that a 
minimum cost share of 20 percent of the total project cost is required 
for this solicitation. Details of the cost sharing requirement and the 
specific funding levels will be contained in the solicitation. The 
anticipated period of performance of the projects will range in 
duration from 12 months to 48 months.
    Prospective applicants who would like to be notified as soon as the 
solicitation is available should register at http://www.netl.doe.gov/business. Provide your E-mail address and click on the ``Oil & Gas'' 
technology choice located under the heading ``Fossil Energy.'' Once you 
subscribe, you will receive an announcement by E-mail that the 
solicitation has been released to the public. Telephone requests, 
written requests, E-mail requests, or facsimile requests for a copy of 
the solicitation package will not be accepted and/or honored. 
Applications must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the 
instructions and forms contained in the solicitation. The actual 
solicitation document will allow for requests for explanation and/or 
interpretation.

    Issued in Pittsburgh, PA on December 14, 2000.
Dale A. Siciliano,
Deputy Director, Acquisition and Assistance Division.
[FR Doc. 00-32858 Filed 12-22-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P