The Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA) said that 12 proposals have been selected for negotiations leading to an award under the 2008 Ultra-Deepwater program focused on increasing the supply of ultra-deepwater and unconventional natural gas and other petroleum resources. Each proposal must provide a minimum of 20% cost share, with up to 50% for field demonstration projects.
“These twelve projects continue to build the integrated research portfolio envisioned by the 2007 and 2008 approved Annual Plans for the Ultra-Deepwater and Unconventional Natural Gas and Other Petroleum Resources Research and Development Program to develop technologies and architectures for operations in ultra-deepwater,” said RPSEA President, C. Michael Ming. “They add to the 17 projects selected for the 2007 Ultra-Deepwater Program to make an increasingly important contribution to the nation’s energy needs. This Program is designed to bring the resources of America’s leading universities, research institutions and technology innovators to bear on the development of domestic resources in water depths of 1,500 meters or greater by reducing costs, increasing efficiency, improving safety and minimizing environmental impacts.”
While awards under the RPSEA Ultra-Deepwater Program are open to any U.S.-based organization, most projects involve a team consisting of researchers along with producers or service companies that are in a position to evaluate and apply new technology.
The selected projects are as follows:
– Coil Tubing, Drilling and Intervention Systems Using Cost Effective Vessel
Project Leader: Nautilus International, LLC
Additional Project Participants: GE Oil & Gas; NOV CTES; INTECSEA; Tidewater Marine, LLC; The University of Tulsa; Texas A&M University
– New Safety Barrier Testing Methods
Project Leader: Southwest Research Institute
– Riserless Intervention System (RIS)
Project Leader: DTC International
Additional Project Participants: Superior Energy Services; NOV Texas Oil Tools; Deepwater Research, Inc.; Det Norske Veritas (USA)
– Advanced Steady-State and Transient, Three-Dimensional, Single and Multiphase, Non-Newtonian Simulation System for Managed Pressure Drilling
Project Leader: Stratamagnetic Software, LLC
— Technologies of the Future for Pipeline Monitoring and Inspection
Project Leader: The University of Tulsa
Additional Project Participant: T.D. Williamson, Inc.
– Wireless Subsea Communications Systems
Project Leader: GE Global Research
Additional Project Participant: Northeastern University
– Replacing Chemical Biocides with Targeted Bacteriophages in Deepwater Pipelines and Reservoirs
Project Leader: Phage Biocontrol, LLC
Additional Project Participants: Texas A&M University; Shell International Exploration & Production; ConocoPhillips Company; Petrobras America, Inc.; Halliburton; Nalco Company; Multi-Chem Corporation; BJ Services Company; Champion Technologies, Inc.; Intertek Group plc; INTECSEA; Livermore Instruments, Inc.
– Enumerating Bacteria in Deepwater Pipelines in Real-Time at a Negligible Marginal Cost Per Analysis: A Proof of Concept Study
Project Leader: Livermore Instruments, Inc.
Additional Project Participants: Phage Biocontrol, LLC; Texas A&M University; ConocoPhillips Company; Shell International Exploration & Production; Petrobras America, Inc.; Halliburton; Nalco Company; Multi-Chem Corporation; BJ Services Company; Champion Technologies, Inc.; Intertek Group plc; INTECSEA
– Fiber Containing Sweep Fluids for Ultra-Deepwater Drilling Applications
Project Leader: The University of Oklahoma
Additional Project Participant: M-I SWACO
Heavy Viscous Oils PVT for Ultra-Deepwater
Project Leader: Schlumberger Limited
– Early Reservoir Appraisal, Utilizing a Well Testing System
Project Leader: Nautilus International, LLC
Additional Participants: Knowledge Reservoir, LLC; Expro International Group Ltd.; General Marine Contractors LLC; INTECSEA; Louisiana State University; The University of Tulsa; Texas A&M University; GE Oil & Gas; Tidewater Marine, LLC
– Ultra-Reliable Deepwater Electrical Power Distribution System and Power Components
Project Leader: GE Global Research
Additional Participants: Texas A&M University; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; GE Oil & Gas
Funding for the projects is provided through the Ultra-Deepwater and Unconventional Natural Gas and Other Petroleum Resources Research and Development Program authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. This program—funded from lease bonuses and royalties paid by industry to produce oil and gas on federal lands—is specifically designed to increase supply and reduce costs to consumers.