[Federal Register: September 15, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 178)]
[Notices]
[Page 53969-53970]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15se03-53]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Energy Technology Laboratory; Notice of Availability of
a Financial Assistance Solicitation
AGENCY: National Energy Technology Laboratory, Department of Energy
(DOE).
ACTION: Notice of availability of a Financial Assistance Solicitation.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the intent to issue Financial
Assistance Solicitation No. DE-PS26-03NT15392-0 entitled ``Microhole
Technology Development.'' The Department of Energy (DOE), National
Energy Technology Laboratory's (NETL) National Petroleum Technology
Office (NPTO) is seeking applications for cost-shared development and
demonstration projects using microhole technologies in the United
States.
DATES: The solicitation will be available on the ``Industry Interactive
Procurement System'' (IIPS) webpage located at http://e-center.doe.gov
on or about September 30, 2003. Applicants can obtain access to the
solicitation from the address above or through DOE/NETL's website at
http://www.netl.doe.gov/business.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith R. Miles, MS 921-166, U.S.
Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, 626
Cochrans Mill Road, PO Box 10940, Pittsburgh, PA 15236-0940. E-mail
Address: miles@netl.doe.gov. Telephone Number: 412-386-5984.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The goal of this Microhole Technology (MHT)
solicitation is to support Reservoir Life Extension/Domestic Resource
Conservation by facilitating exploration and production companies in
the effort to find, characterize and develop shallow domestic oil and
natural gas resources inexpensively. The purpose of this solicitation
is to demonstrate present MHT capabilities and development of missing
key MHT components. Microhole Technology will consist of the techniques
and tools used to drill, complete and characterize reservoirs 5,000
feet deep in a 3\1/2\'' diameter borehole. Microhole drilling will use
a coiled tubing drilling rig and appropriate Logging While Drilling
(LWD), Measurement While Drilling (MWD), Directional Assembly (DA) and
Positive Displacement Motor (PDM) to eventually drill a 3\1/2\''
borehole to a minimum of 5,000 feet True Vertical Depth (TVD) and a
minimum 1,000 feet directional displacement from the surface well
location. Microhole completion equipment are those items necessary to
run, set and cement casing and the associated downhole tubulars
(packers, sleeves, nipples, screens, etc.), surface wellhead,
perforation tools and stimulation tools. Microhole reservoir
characterization equipment includes Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP)
and downhole reservoir sensors. Some of the Microhole Technology parts
exist and are now in use in coiled tubing and slimhole drilling. The
program is open to any business, educational institution or state
agency and is for the benefit of the domestic oil industry.
The two solicitation Areas of Interest are described below.
Area of Interest 1: DE-PS26-03NT15392-1: Field Demonstration
Projects in Area 1 promote the National Energy Policy goal of
enhanced oil and gas recovery with advanced technology. Applications in
Area 1 will be drilling programs that demonstrate current microhole
technologies in
[[Page 53970]]
different geographic regions of the United States. Area 1 will accept
drilling program applications with a minimum 50% cost share for
drilling new or extending existing wells using a coiled tubing drilling
system. Each drilling program must have a minimum of three wells.
Approximately three applications will be funded. The successful awards
will be with different E&P companies in diverse geographic locations. A
coiled tubing drilling system must be used to drill the last length of
hole. This hole will be no more than 4\3/4\'' diameter and no less than
1,000 feet long. Applications must include an economic analysis of
coiled tubing drilling versus rotary drilling and overall economics of
the drilling program. Technology transfer of the drilling program
results will be a requirement.
Area of Interest 2: DE-PS26-03NT15392-2: Technology Development
Applications submitted under Area 2 must target one (1) of four (4)
specific technical topics (shown below) for the development and
manufacture of equipment required to fulfill the Microhole Technology
goal. This equipment will be an evolutionary advance over existing
designs. Applications must include conceptual drawings, basic
engineering design specifications, Quality Control standards, corporate
history, product test capabilities and proposed test standards.
Proposed equipment will complement the Microhole Technology goal of
drilling, completing and characterizing reservoirs a minimum of 5,000
feet TVD and 1,000 feet directional displacement in a 3\1/2\''
borehole. All component applications must be compatible with the
Microhole Coiled Tubing Rig. DOE personnel will coordinate
compatibility issues between manufacturers. A 20% cost share is
required for any Area 2 application.
Applications for Area 2 must target only one (1) of the following
four (4) topics:
1. Built for purpose Microhole Coiled Tubing Rig (MCTR). The MCTR
will handle 1'' through 2\3/8\'' coiled tubing. The rig will be able to
drill and case surface, intermediate, production and liner hole
intervals. The rig will be able to drill with coiled tubing and
conventional rotary or top drive. The rig will be able to run at a
minimum 7\5/8\'' range 2 casing. The MCTR may be truck, trailer or skid
mounted and meet USDOT limitations. The MCTR may be more than one load.
If skid mounted the rig must be helitransportable. The MCTR must be
readily adaptable to support low-cost directional drilling and through-
tubing micro-lateral drilling from existing wells. The MCTR must be
able to drill with low density, compressible drilling fluids. The MCTR
design will facilitate quick reel or coiled tubing changes in the
field.
2. Self contained ``zero discharge'' drilling mud system. The mud
system may be truck, trailer or skid mounted and meet USDOT
limitations. If skid mounted it will be helitransportable. The mud
system may be more than one load. The mud system will be compatible
with the MCTR. The mud system will be able to mix, circulate downhole,
clean and hold diesel or water based drilling mud. The mud system will
have a minimum 200 bbl total capacity with active, reserve and trip
tanks. The mud pump will be from a standard oilfield equipment
manufacturer and be capable of circulating 15 gpm at 5,000 psi and 500
gpm at 1,000 psi. The mud system will have a solids control system
capable of continuously separating the drill solids and ``fine'' low
gravity drill solids. The mud system must be compatible with an
underbalanced drilling system.
3. Microhole Coiled Tubing Bottom Hole Assemblies. MWD, LWD, DA and
PDM suitable for drilling 3\1/2\'' boreholes. Applications may be for
all or any portion of these Bottom Hole Assemblies.
4. Microhole Cementing Equipment. Cementing float shoe, collar,
wiper plugs and cement head/plug launcher for 2\7/8\'', 2\3/8\'', 2''
and 1\3/4\'' coiled tubing.
Once released, the solicitation will be available for downloading
from the IIPS Internet page. At this Internet site you will also be
able to register with IIPS, enabling you to submit an application. If
you need technical assistance in registering or for any other IIPS
function, call the IIPS Help Desk at (800) 683-0751 or E-mail the Help
Desk personnel at IIPS_HelpDesk@e-center.doe.gov. The solicitation
will only be made available in IIPS, no hard (paper) copies of the
solicitation and related documents will be made available. Telephone
requests, written requests, E-mail requests, or facsimile requests for
a copy of the solicitation package will not be accepted and/or honored.
Applications must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the
instructions and forms contained in the solicitation. The actual
solicitation document will allow for requests for explanation and/or
interpretation.
Issued in Pittsburgh, PA on September 3, 2003.
Dale A. Siciliano,
Director, Acquisition and Assistance Division.
[FR Doc. 03-23419 Filed 9-12-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P