[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 116 (Friday, June 15, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32611-32612]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-15124]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


National Energy Technology Laboratory; ``Identification and 
Demonstration of Preferred Upstream Management Practices II (Pump II) 
for the Oil Industry'

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-PS26-01BC15300 entitled ``Identification 
and Demonstration of Preferred Upstream Management Practices II (PUMP 
II) for the Oil Industry.'' The Department of Energy (DOE) National 
Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), on behalf of its National 
Petroleum Technology Office (NTPO), seeks cost-shared research and 
development applications for identification of preferred management 
practices (PMP) and technology solutions addressing a production 
barrier in a region and the documentation of these practices for use by 
the oil industry. Applications will address either the development of 
public play portfolios addressing a region where the application of 
preferred geologic and engineering practices will identify significant 
exploration and development reserves or demonstrations of new methods/
protocols for data sharing among operators, organizations and agencies 
to improve the processing of information necessary for approving and 
managing the operations of the industry. As in the PUMP I solicitation 
in 2000, the near-term goal is to advance technology capabilities and 
to increase current domestic oil production quickly.
    An Information Package is available on the NETL's Homepage at 
http://www.netl.doe.gov/business for viewing and downloading. The 
Information Package contains general information regarding the proposed 
solicitation.

DATES: The solicitation will be available on the DOE/NETL's Internet 
address at http://www.netl.doe.gov/business on or about June 12, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith R. Miles, U.S. Department of 
Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, P.O. Box 10940, MS 921-
166, Pittsburgh, PA 15236-0940, E-mail Address: [email protected], 
Telephone Number: 412/386-5984.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Petroleum Technology Office of 
the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) National 
Energy Technology Lab (NETL) is soliciting cost-shared applications for 
identification of preferred management practices (PMP) and technology 
solutions addressing information-related barriers and data-sharing 
solutions to a production barrier in a region and the documentation of 
these practices for use by the industry. The near-term goal is to 
increase current domestic oil production quickly.
    The mission of the Department of Energy's Fossil Energy Oil Program 
is driven by the needs of the oil producers. The overall program is 
designed to develop unique technologies and processes to locate 
untapped resources; to extend the life of domestic energy resources; 
and to reduce well abandonment-all essential to maximizing the 
production of domestic resources while protecting our environment. The 
National Petroleum Technology Office's Preferred Upstream Management 
Practices (PUMP) program as a part of this overall goal is designed to 
facilitate production of existing oil reserves more quickly without 
sacrificing efficiency or environmental protection.
    Based on prior successful results from demonstrations of under-
utilized or advanced technology coupled with reservoir 
characterization, the DOE Oil Program seeks to demonstrate that the 
identification and use of PMP can overcome regional constraints to 
increased production.
    The program will accept proposals that combine the identification 
of public play portfolios using preferred advanced geologic and 
engineering practices and technology to overcome regional production 
constraints and aggressive technology transfer that will promote the 
use of those practices. In addition, the program will accept proposals 
that demonstrate preferred management practices and technology to 
encourage data-sharing in the industry and government regulating oil 
and gas production. Barriers can be identified as technical, physical, 
regulatory, environmental, or economic. The selected projects are 
expected to employ the following four (4) strategies in order to have a 
rapid impact on production: (1) Focus on regions that present the 
biggest potential for additional oil production quickly, (2) integrate 
solutions to technological, economic, regulatory, and data constraints, 
(3) demonstrate the validity of these practices either through field 
demonstration during the project or documentation of well-run 
successful past demonstration, and (4) use known technology transfer 
mechanisms.
    Using a regional approach where the projects will have a wide 
applicability, an integrated approach scheduling tasks along parallel 
paths to facilitate a quicker response, and operating with existing 
networks, the production results in the field should be accelerated. 
The documentation and evaluation of the PMP will be a valuable resource 
to all producers in the applicable area and possibly other regions as 
well.
    This program expects near-term results and actions that will create 
data or technological resources suitable for long-term use. Teaming is 
encouraged and the proposal partners could include, but not be limited 
to, producers, producer organizations, universities, service companies, 
State agencies or organizations, non-Federal research laboratories, and 
Native American Tribes or Corporations. They will demonstrate practices 
and/or technologies that can increase production, increase cost 
savings, or rapid returns on the capital investments of the operators. 
New technologies/processes or under-used but effective applications of 
existing technologies/processes critical to a region will be 
demonstrated. The DOE will make publicly available over the Internet 
the data on preferred practices resulting from this program. The 
resulting publicly available databases of the preferred practices will 
be interactive,

[[Page 32612]]

Internet accessible, should include both technologies and practices, 
and address constraints in the exploration, production, or 
environmental areas.
    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 $3.9 million of DOE funding is 
planned over a 2 year period for this solicitation. The program seeks 
to sponsor projects for a single budget/project period of 24 months or 
less. Due to the low risk and near-term nature of the PUMP program and 
the potential for a process or technology demonstration, all applicants 
are required to cost share at a minimum of 50% of the project total. 
Details of the cost sharing requirement, and the specific funding 
levels are contained in the solicitation.
    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 June 5, 2001.
Dale A. Siciliano,
Deputy Director, Acquisition and Assistance Division.
[FR Doc. 01-15124 Filed 6-14-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P