RPSEA Selects Projects for the 2008 Ultra-Deepwater Program

Danette Mozisek — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:00:00 GMT

SUGAR LAND, Texas – September 1, 2009 – The Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA) announces twelve 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.

"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. Each proposal must provide a minimum of 20% cost share, with up to 50% for field demonstration projects.

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; General Marine Contractors; Huisman Equipment BV

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 while enhancing the global leadership position of the United States in energy technology through the development of domestic intellectual capital. RPSEA is under contract with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory to administer several elements of the program. RPSEA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit consortium with more than 145 members, including 25 of the nation's premier research universities, five national laboratories, other major research institutions, large and small energy producers and energy consumers. The mission of RPSEA, headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas, is to provide a stewardship role in ensuring the focused research, development and deployment of safe and environmentally responsible technology that can effectively deliver hydrocarbons from domestic resources to the citizens of the United States. Additional information can be found at www.rpsea.org.

1-Sep-09 1:00 PM

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RPSEA Selects Projects for the 2008 Ultra-Deepwater Program