[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 1 (Friday, January 2, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52-53]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-32266]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


National Energy Technology Laboratory; Notice of Availability of 
a Funding Opportunity

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of a funding opportunity.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the intent to issue a Funding 
Opportunity No. DE-PS26-04NT15460 entitled ``Focused Research in 
Federal Lands Access 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 Federal lands access or 
produced water management issues faced by the oil and gas industry. 
Applications will either address (1) solutions to improve access to oil 
and gas resources on Federal lands 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 Funding Opportunity 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) Web page located at 
http://e-center.doe.gov on or about January 15, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Martin Byrnes, U.S. Department of 
Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, P.O. Box 10940, MS 921-
107, Pittsburgh, PA 15236-0940. E-mail address: 
[email protected], telephone number: 412-386-4486.

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 access to Federal lands 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 program will accept applications for cost-shared research 
projects that address (1) solutions to improve access to Federal lands 
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 of this 
Funding Opportunity 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 access issues 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 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 many awards will be made. Multiple 
awards are anticipated. Approximately $9 million of DOE funding is 
planned over a 3 year period for this Funding Opportunity. The program 
seeks to sponsor projects for a single budget/project period of 36 
months or less. All applicants are required to cost share at a minimum 
of 20% of the project total for projects submitted under the two areas 
of interest. Details of the cost sharing requirements, and the specific 
funding levels will be identified in Funding Opportunity. Telephone 
requests, written requests, E-mail requests, or facsimile requests for 
a copy of the Funding Opportunity package will not be accepted and/or 
honored. Applications must be prepared and submitted in accordance with 
the instructions and forms contained in the Funding Opportunity 
Announcement. The actual Funding Opportunity

[[Page 53]]

Announcement will allow for requests for explanation and/or 
interpretation.

    Issued in Pittsburgh, PA on December 19, 2003.
Dale A. Siciliano,
Director, Acquisition and Assistance Division.
[FR Doc. 03-32266 Filed 12-31-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P