U.S. DOE seeks research proposals

The U.S. Department of Energy is asking petroleum researchers to submit research proposals on a range of topics that will constitute much of the federal government's oil technology program in coming years. DOE wants to sponsor technologies or approaches that can reduce the number of oil wells abandoned each year, arrest the production decline in reservoirs by improving oil recovery, and increase environmental protection in oil production and processing operations. DOE expects to provide up

April 20, 1998

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DOE wants to sponsor technologies or approaches that can reduce the number of oil wells abandoned each year, arrest the production decline in reservoirs by improving oil recovery, and increase environmental protection in oil production and processing operations.

DOE expects to provide up to 80% of the costs of projects, about $20 million over 3 to 5 years.

The call for proposals marks the first time in many years that DOE has grouped a major portion of its oil technology research needs into a single solicitation.

It said that, by giving prospective proposers a better across-the-board view of petroleum research opportunities, it hopes to encourage industry, universities, and other proposers to submit projects that combine several aspects of petroleum technology.

DOE's National Petroleum Technology Office in Tulsa is sponsoring the solicitation. Proposals are due to the office by Apr. 23.

The solicitation provides guidelines for submitting project proposals in any, or combinations, of 18 specific technical topics organized within five major areas of particular interest to the department.

Diagnostics

Area No. 1 is advanced diagnostics and imaging systems. Research would analyze reservoir rock properties and the dynamics of rock and fluid interactions that impact oil production, with topics to include:

Pore-scale imaging-Imaging of reservoir rocks and fluids and their interactions at the rock pore scale using X-ray computing tomography, magnetic resonance imagery, and other techniques to assist in determining how these properties affect oil recovery.
Wettability and imbibition-Re- search on how the tendency of fluids to adhere to or be absorbed on mineral surfaces affects fluid flow rate through reservoir rock.
In-situ relative permeability-Research on the physical and chemical processes that affect the rates at which oil, brine, and gas will move through reservoir rock pores under various reservoir conditions.
Upscaling-Research on relating reservoir processes at the rock pore scale to the same processes in the reservoir as a whole, and applying those relationships to improving oil recovery. Area 2 is production research. Projects would develop or improve cost-effective processes for producing oil reserves. Topics under Area 2 are:
Gas flooding-Research to increase the efficiency of carbon dioxide "sweep" (moving oil through reservoir rock) and to improve the ability to conduct gas flooding below the minimum reservoir pressure required for miscibility.
Chemical flooding-Development of low-cost surfactants to reduce oil/water surface tension that impedes the flow of oil, and development of polymers for thickening water to increase recovery efficiency and improve the control of water flow in the reservoir.
Microbial flooding-Research on microbes to generate low-cost surfactants, gas, or polymers to increase oil recovery.
Heavy oil recovery-Research on high-temperature foams or other additives to improve the ability of steam-injection process "sweep"; application of other thermal recovery methods; and combinations of these processes with horizontal drilling.
Novel processes-Development of new methods for extracting oil from known reservoirs.
Reservoir simulation-Development of simulators to improve prediction of oil field performance, for both large computer systems and desktop or workstation systems suitable for use by smaller oil producers; and adaptation of software for application to horizontal well recovery processes.

Modeling

The third area of interest is integrated prospecting concepts. Research would seek approaches to modeling of sedimentary hydrocarbon systems and risk-assessment technology that will improve the ability to locate and develop oil prospects.

Topics included under Area 3 are:

Modeling of dynamic sedimentary hydrocarbon systems-Development of modeling technology for analysis of reservoir-hydrocarbon interaction, including low-cost software for desktop or workstation systems for smaller oil producers; new algorithms to reduce hardware requirements; integration of current software; and models for integrating data in mixed systems.
Risk-assessment technology-Development of thorough, quantitative, and cost-effective computer programs to assess risk and assist in decision making in all aspects of oil exploration and development.

Other research

Area 4 is refining. Projects would reduce the pollution potential of oil processing operations and the cost of environmental compliance while maintaining or improving the current level of environmental protection.

Topics under Area 4 include:

Science for environmental protection-Research on refinery emissions of particulate matter smaller than 2.5 ?, known as PM2.5, to identify and compare methods to characterize these emissions, especially organic particulates, and provide sound scientific bases for decision making during implementation of PM2.5 regulations.
Pollution prevention-Technologies that will significantly reduce emissions from refining processes or from refined petroleum products. The final area of interest is environmental research. Projects would provide lower-cost environmental technologies and/or science-based data for improving regulation.
Soil remediation-Research in remediation of soil contamination from oil drilling, production, or pipeline operations, including development of low-cost, innovative remediation technology; determination of environmental standards; development of remediation models for online systems or manuals; risk assessment for hazard definition, toxicity, exposure, and risk characterization; and improved methodologies for sampling, testing, and remediation.
Air emissions-Research on the impact of oil and gas exploration and production operations on air quality, including modeling, instrumentation, and measurement, and more efficient and cost-effective methods of reducing emissions from oil and gas operations.
Innovative waste and produced-water management-Research in development and application of technologies for managing oil and gas wastes, including waste minimization, sampling, characterization, treatment, and disposal.
Risk assessment and streamlining-Research on streamlining programs that regulate aspects of environmental management for oil and gas exploration and development.