US DOE awards grants for unconventional oil, gas research

Washington (Platts)--17Oct2005

The US Energy Dept will provide $10.7-mil for 13 research and development
projects, most of them focusing on recovering unconventional oil and gas and
some on seeking cleaner ways of exploring for deep oil and gas. 
     The DOE awards, announced Monday by Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman,
account for two-thirds of the projects' costs. Industrial and academic
partners will pay for $5.6-mil of them. 
     Bodman said in a statement that the projects reflect the Bush
administration's commitment to "seek out and develop new energy options." DOE
noted that the US has an estimated 700 Tcf of unconventional gas, compared
with an estimated 190 Tcf of conventional gas reserves. 
     Three of the 13 projects involve Texas A&M University, which would
receive nearly $3.4-mil over three years. The grants, which will be paid for
from Fiscal Year 2005 appropriations, would not be possible under the
administration's proposed FY-06 budget. That budget calls for elimination of
DOE funding for oil and gas r&d, a proposal that has been rejected by the
House and the Senate in their FY-06 energy and water development
appropriations bills.
                                 ---Bill Loveless, bill_loveless@platts.com

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