[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 34 (Wednesday, February 20, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7675-7676]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-4044]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


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

AGENCY: National Energy Technology Laboratory, 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-PS26-02NT15373 entitled ``Focused 
Research in Air Quality and Produced Water Management in Oil and Gas 
Exploration and Production.'' The Department of Energy (DOE) National 
Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), on behalf of its National 
Petroleum Technology Office (NPTO), seeks applications for cost-shared 
research projects that address specific air quality or produced water 
management issues faced by the oil and gas industry. Applications will 
either address (1) solutions to air quality issues in emission control 
technology, monitoring technology or air modeling or (2) produced water 
management issues in low cost treatment technologies, beneficial use of 
produced water, or best management practices for handling, treatment 
and/or disposal. The goal is to provide solutions to issues that are 
limiting domestic on-shore or off-shore production while providing the 
same or higher levels of environmental protection.

DATES: The solicitation will be available on the DOE/NETL's Internet 
address at http://www.netl.doe.gov/business and on the ``Industry 
Interactive Procurement System'' (IIPS) webpage located at http://e-
center.doe.gov on or about February 28, 2002.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Energy (DOE) National 
Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), on behalf of its National 
Petroleum Technology Office (NPTO), is soliciting applications for 
cost-shared research projects that address specific air quality or 
produced water management issues faced by the oil and gas industry. The 
goal is to provide solutions to issues that are limiting domestic on-
shore or off-shore production while providing the same or higher levels 
of environmental protection.
    The mission of the Department of Energy's Fossil Energy Oil Program 
is derived from the National need for increased oil production for 
national security, requirements for Federal Lands stewardship, and 
increased protection of the environment. The Oil and Gas Environmental 
Program supports those goals and the National Energy Policy goal of 
increasing domestic oil and gas production, by providing technologies 
and approaches that reduce the cost of effective environmental 
protection and by providing technologies and approaches that improve 
environmental protection.
    The two areas of interest for this solicitation are:

(1) Air Quality

    This area of interest is directed toward providing better tools to 
meet existing requirements as well as providing a more accurate 
assessment of the impacts of oil and gas activities on regional air 
quality. Applications in this area should address emissions control 
technologies for oil and gas E&P activities or address monitoring and 
modeling improvements that will provide more accurate assessments and 
predictions of the impacts of both current and future oil and gas 
activities on regional air quality. Applications in this area of 
interest should clearly demonstrate that the results of the project 
meet current legal and regulatory requirements or that the appropriate 
government agencies are appropriately involved with the project and 
support the project goals.

(2) Produced Water

    This area of interest is directed toward reducing the cost of 
produced water management. Applications in this area should address 
lower cost treatment processes, economic beneficial use of produced 
water, or best management practices that reduce the overall cost of 
produced water handling. All applications should clearly describe how a 
successful project will result in cost savings to operators and the 
magnitude of those savings. Applications addressing beneficial use of 
produced water may address treatment technologies designed to meet 
certain use criteria or may address ecological and/or regulatory 
concerns that limit producers' options for managing produced water. If 
implementation of the results of the project are dependent upon 
approval or concurrence of one or more regulatory agencies, 
applications should clearly demonstrate that such agencies are 
appropriately involved with the project and support the project goals.

[[Page 7676]]

    The goal of this solicitation is to provide solutions to issues 
that are limiting domestic on-shore or off-shore production while 
providing the same or higher levels of environmental protection. These 
air quality and produced water management issues are limiting domestic 
production by restricting additional development or by adding costs 
that cause operators to abandon existing wells while substantial 
recoverable reserves remain in the ground.
    The issues listed above are multi-faceted problems. In many cases, 
the overall solution may vary by region or may require several separate 
steps to resolve completely. Selected projects are expected to describe 
the overall problem and the region or regions affected as well as 
describing how the proposed project fits into the overall solution. 
Selected projects are also expected to describe as completely as 
possible the impact that the project will have on increasing or 
maintaining domestic production. The description of the production 
impact should discuss in detail the resource affected and the amount of 
domestic production that can be added or maintained as a result of the 
successful completion of the project.
    DOE anticipates awarding approximately three (3) to seven (7) 
financial assistance (i.e., Cooperative Agreements) with a project 
performance period no less than one year in length and up to three 
years in length. Approximately $7.0 million of DOE funding is planned 
over a 3-year period for this solicitation. DOE has determined the 
minimum cost share of twenty percent (20%) of the total estimated 
project cost is required; details of the cost sharing requirement and 
the specific funding levels will be contained in the program 
solicitation.
    This solicitation will be targeted for unrestricted competition. 
However, applications submitted by or on behalf of (1) another Federal 
agency; (2) a Federally Funded Research and Development Center 
sponsored by another Federal agency; or (3) a Department of Energy 
(DOE) Management Operating (M&O) contractor will not be eligible for 
award under this solicitation. However, an application that includes 
performance of a portion of the work by a DOE M&O contractor will be 
evaluated and may be considered for award subject to the provisions to 
be set forth in Program Solicitation DE-PS26-02NT15373.

    Note: The limit on participation by an M&O contractor for an 
individual project under this solicitation cannot exceed 25% of the 
total project cost.

    Once released, the solicitation will be available for downloading 
from the IIPS Internet page. At this Internet site you will also be 
able to register with IIPS, enabling you to submit an application. If 
you need technical assistance in registering or for any other IIPS 
function, call the IIPS Help Desk at (800) 683-0751 or E-mail the Help 
Desk personnel at IIPS--HelpDesk@e-center.doe.gov. The solicitation 
will only be made available in IIPS, no hard (paper) copies of the 
solicitation and related documents will be made available.
    Prospective applicants who would like to be notified as soon as the 
solicitation is available should subscribe to the Business Alert 
Mailing List at http://www.netl.doe.gov/business. 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 February 5, 2002.
Dale A. Siciliano,
Deputy Director, Acquisition and Assistance Division.
[FR Doc. 02-4044 Filed 2-19-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P