[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 61 (Monday, March 31, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 15440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-7612]


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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-PS26-03NT41775 entitled ``Drilling, 
Completion, and Stimulation (DCS).'' This solicitation is being issued 
to develop new drilling, completion, and stimulation technologies that 
will aid the nation in meeting the increasing natural gas demands of 
the future.

DATES: The solicitation will be available on the ``Industry Interactive 
Procurement System'' (IIPS) webpage located at http://e-center.doe.gov 
on or about March 28, 2003. Applicants can obtain access to the 
solicitation from the address above or through DOE/NETL's Web site at 
http://www.netl.doe.gov/business.

ADDRESSES: See FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT caption.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Deborah J. Boggs, Contract 
Specialist, U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology 
Laboratory, 3610 Collins Ferry Road, E-mail Address: 
[email protected], Telephone Number: 304-285-4473.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The ``Drilling, Completion, and Stimulation 
Solicitation'' supports the Strategic Center for Natural Gas 2020 
Vision of the U.S. public enjoying benefits (affordable supply, 
reliable delivery, and environmental protection) from an increase in 
gas use. The demand for natural gas is expected to grow at a rate of 
2.1 percent per year between 1999 and 2020, with the total annual gas 
consumption projected to increase from 22 tcf in 1999 to 34 tcf in 
2020. This increase will put a great strain on the natural gas industry 
as most of the conventional reservoirs have already been discovered. 
Therefore, the gas needed to meet the increasing demands will have to 
come from unconventional sources, which are known to contain vast 
quantities of gas across large areas and throughout thick columns of 
strata in many of the nation's basins.
    Past assessments of these unconventional resources show that 
thousands of trillion cubic feet of gas exists in place. However, due 
to the complexity, depth and lower-quality of these reservoirs, only a 
small percentage of this gas can be produced economically. Today's 
operators target areas of high natural fracture density because the 
extensive fracture network increases the drainage area of wells and 
thereby, the ultimate recovery of gas. But the majority of wells 
completed in unconventional reservoirs are sub-economic because a well-
connected natural fracture system is the exception rather than the 
rule. Thus, technologies are needed to both reduce the costs of 
drilling, completion, and stimulation, and improve the recovery 
efficiency.
    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 center.doe.gov">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. 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 Morgantown, WV on March 20, 2003.
Dale A. Siciliano,
Director, Acquisition and Assistance Division.
[FR Doc. 03-7612 Filed 3-28-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P