The Houston Advanced Research
Center (HARC), a not-for-profit organization based in The Woodlands, Texas, and
the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering at Texas A&M
University have announced the creation of a collaborative research program to
promote advanced technology for low-impact oil and gas drilling.
The University/National
Laboratories Alliance, established as part of the Environmentally Friendly
Drilling (EFD) Program, will fund and transfer critical new technologies that
can accelerate development of domestic reserves in a safe and environmentally
friendly manner. The research is aimed specifically at technologies that can be
used in environmentally sensitive areas that currently are off-limits to
drilling and production.
In addition to HARC and Texas
A&M, founding members of the Alliance include the
University of Wyoming,
University of Colorado, Utah State University, Sam Houston State University,
University of Arkansas, West Virginia University, Argonne National Laboratory
and
Los Alamos National Laboratory.
According to Rich Haut, manager
of the Alliance and Senior Research Scientist at HARC, the goal is to fund the
development of and share the latest research findings with leaders of energy,
academia, environmental organizations and government.
“We will consider all aspects of
energy resource recovery, not only traditional oil and natural gas production
methods, but also unconventional production, such as natural gas from shale or
coal-bed methane,” Dr. Haut says. “New technology
and monitoring programs can show us how we can better manage precious natural
resources while reducing our impact on the environment.” Haut encourages other
national laboratories and universities to contact him about participation in
the Alliance.
David Burnett, EFD project
manager and Director of Technology at the Global Petroleum Research Institute
(GPRI) within Texas A&M Engineering, explains that EFD represents new
low-impact technologies that can reduce the footprint of drilling activities.
“For example, we are currently examining the use of light-weight drilling rigs
with reduced emission engine packages and efficient on-site waste management
systems.”
Created in 2005, EFD is
supported by the U.S. Department of Energy National Energy Technology
Laboratory and the energy industry. The growing EFD partnership consists of
universities, national laboratories, energy producers and service companies,
environmental organizations and government agencies.
For
more information on the University/National Laboratories Alliance, contact Rich
Haut at 281-364-6093 or David Burnett at 979-845-2274.
Report Abusive Comment