US invests USD 44 mn for R&D on recovery of unconventional oil and natural gas

The US Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy (FE) has selected 12 projects which will receive approximately USD 44.5 million in federal funding for cost-shared research and development (R&D) under the funding opportunity announcement (FOA), Advanced Technologies for Recovery of Unconventional Oil & Gas Resources.

FE seeks to enhance the characterization and improve the recovery efficiency of emerging unconventional oil and natural gas reservoirs, which are vital to supporting the industry's efforts to increase domestic energy production. In 2018, crude oil and natural gas accounted for 57 per cent of all U.S. energy production, with crude oil seeing an increase of 17 per cent and natural gas an increase of 12 per cent from 2017 production.

"Improving the recovery efficiency from oil and natural gas plays is critical to maximizing U.S. energy production," said Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy Steven Winberg. "These projects will help expand our ability to do that and, in the process, help strengthen our energy, economic, and national security."

The projects fall under two areas of interest as follows:

• Area of Interest 1: Improving Ultimate Recovery from Unconventional Oil and Gas Resources
• Area of Interest 2: Improving Our Understanding of Emerging Unconventional Plays

(With inputs from US Department of Energy Press Release)