FundOpp_DE-FOA-0003343.pdf

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management

(FECM)

Undocumented Orphaned Well Characterization and Remediation

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number: DE-FOA-0003343 FOA Type: Initial

Assistance Listing Number: 81.089 (Fossil Energy Research and Development)

FOA Issue Date: September 13, 2024 Submission Deadline for Full Applications: November 13, 2024 5:00

PM ET

Expected Date for Selection Notifications: February 2025 Expected Date for Award: June 2025 ii

* Applicants are discouraged from submitting information considered proprietary unless it is deemed essential for proper evaluation of the application. If the application contains information that the applicant organization considers to be trade secrets, information that is commercial or financial, or information that is privileged or confidential, the pages containing that information should be identified as specified in the application instructions. When such information is included in the application, it is furnished to the Federal government in confidence, with the understanding that the information will be used or disclosed only for evaluation of the application. The information contained in the application will be protected by DOE from unauthorized disclosure, consistent with the need for merit review of applications of financial assistance awards to assure the integrity of the competitive process and the accuracy and completeness of the information. If a Federal financial assistance award is made as a result of or in connection with an application, the Federal government has the right to use or disclose the information to the extent authorized by law. This restriction does not limit the Federal government’s right to use the information if it is obtained without restriction from another source.

Notice to Applicants of Registration Requirements

There are several one-time actions that must be completed before submitting an application in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) (e.g., register with the System for Award Management (SAM), obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number, register with Grants.gov, and register with FedConnect.net to submit questions). It is vital that applicants address these items as soon as possible. Some may take several weeks, and failure to complete them could interfere with an applicant’s ability to apply to this FOA.

SAM – Each applicant is required to: (1) register in the SAM at https://www.sam.gov/ before submitting an application; (2) provide a valid UEI number in the application; and

(3) maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency (unless the applicant is exempt from those requirements under 2 CFR 25.110). DOE may not make a Federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable UEI and SAM requirements. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time DOE is ready to make a Federal award, DOE will determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a Federal award to another applicant.

Due to the high demand of SAM registrations and UEI requests, entity legal business name and address validations are taking longer than expected to process. Entities should start the SAM and UEI registration process as soon as possible. If entities have technical difficulties with the SAM registration or UEI validation process they should utilize the HELP feature on SAM.gov. SAM.gov will work entity service tickets in the order in which they are received and asks that entities not create multiple service https://www.sam.gov/ https://sam.gov/content/help https://sam.gov/content/home iii tickets for the same request or technical issue. Additional entity validation resources can be found here: GSAFSD Tier 0 Knowledge Base - Validating your Entity.

UEI – Applicants must obtain an UEI from the SAM to uniquely identify the entity. The

UEI is available in the SAM entity registration record.

NOTE: First tier sub-awardees/subrecipients must also obtain an UEI from the SAM and provide the UEI to the Prime Recipient before the subaward can be issued. Full registration in SAM is not required to obtain an UEI for subaward reporting.

Grants.gov – Applicants must register with Grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov/register to set up your WorkSpace. An applicant cannot submit an application through Grants.gov unless an applicant is registered. Please read the registration requirements carefully and start the process immediately.

1) The Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must register at:

https://grants.gov/register.

2) An email is sent to the E-Business (E-Biz) POC listed in SAM.

More information about the registration steps for Grants.gov is provided at:

https://apply07.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm?callingApp=custom#callingAp p=custom&t=Register%2FRegister.html.

In addition:

o Add a Profile to a Grants.gov Account: A profile in Grants.gov corresponds to a single applicant organization the user represents (i.e., an applicant) or an individual applicant. If you work for or consult with multiple organizations and have a profile for each, you may log in to one Grants.gov account to access all of your grant applications. To add an organizational profile to your Grants.gov account, enter the UEI for the organization in the UEI field while adding a profile.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to: l https://apply07.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm?callingApp=custom#callin gApp=custom&t=Register%2FAddProfile.htm&rhsearch=Add%20a%20profile o EBiz POC Authorized Profile Roles: After you register with Grants.gov and create an Organization Applicant Profile, the organization applicant's request for Grants.gov roles and access is sent to the EBiz POC. The EBiz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles, which may include the AOR role, thereby giving you permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. You will be able to submit your application online any time after you have been assigned the AOR role.

https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0058422&sys_kb_id=1b5f22581b2115102fe5ed7ae54bcb4e&spa=1 https://www.grants.gov/register https://grants.gov/register https://apply07.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm?callingApp=custom#callingApp=custom&t=Register%2FRegister.htm https://apply07.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm?callingApp=custom#callingApp=custom&t=Register%2FRegister.htm file://PROD75-FS6.admin.netl.doe.gov/home/Honkusr/myfiles/BIL%20Working%20Group/FOA/NEXT%20FOA%20UPDATE%20CHANGES/2024-05-29/l https://apply07.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm?callingApp=custom#callingApp=custom&t=Register%2FAddProfile.htm&rhsearch=Add%20a%20profile https://apply07.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm?callingApp=custom#callingApp=custom&t=Register%2FAddProfile.htm&rhsearch=Add%20a%20profile iv

NOTE: When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the organization applicant with the AOR role that submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The EBiz POC must authorize people who are able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the organization as a user with the AOR role;

this step is often missed and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

Questions relating to the registration process, system requirements, or how an application form works must be directed to Grants.gov at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.

FedConnect.net - Applicants must register with FedConnect to submit questions.

FedConnect website: www.fedconnect.net.

See Section IV for Application and Submission Information (including how to create a WorkSpace).

mailto:support@grants.gov http://www.fedconnect.net/ v

SUMMARY OVERVIEW OF KEY INFORMATION

Issuing Agency Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory (Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management

Program Overview This FOA aligns with DOE’s Office of Resource Sustainability’s Methane Mitigation Technologies Program to develop advanced tools and technologies that will significantly reduce methane emissions and other environmental impacts associated with Undocumented Orphaned Wells (UOWs), with the goal of eliminating methane emissions from carbon-based fuel supply chains by 2030. This FOA will be focused on addressing the technical challenges of measuring, quantifying, and mitigating methane emissions from UOWs. This FOA will support the UOW subprogram by soliciting research on new processes and development of new materials, tools, and technologies for wellbore characterization, effective plugging and abandonment (P&A) operations, and pre- and post- P&A emissions monitoring.

Objective The objective of this FOA is to competitively solicit applications for advancing cost-effective technology options toward commercialization that can more efficiently characterize the condition of Undocumented Orphaned Wells (UOWs) and provide a range of remediation options.

Areas of Inerest

(AOI)

• Area of Interest 1: Advanced Remediation Techniques for UOW Boreholes

• Area of Interest 2: UOW Wellbore Characterization

• Area of Interest 3: Long-Term UOW Monitoring

Eligible Applicants See Section III.B. of the FOA.

Funding It is anticipated that this FOA will provide Federal funding of $15,000,000 over three years.

• AOI 1: approximately $10,200,000 Federal funding; 20% cost share requirement

• AOI 2: approximately $2,400,000 Federal funding; 20% cost share requirement

• AOI 3: approximately $2,400,000 Federal funding; 20% cost share requirement

Deadlines Full Applications Due: November 13, 2024 at 5:00 pm ET vi

Table of Contents Notice to Applicants of Registration Requirements ......................................................................................... iii

SUMMARY OVERVIEW OF KEY INFORMATION ................................................................................................. v

Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................... vii

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Authorizing Statutes B. Background/Description C. Objectives/Areas of Interest

i. Area of Interest 1: Advanced Remediation Techniques for UOW Boreholes

ii. Area of Interest 2: UOW Wellbore Characterization

iii. Area of Interest 3: Long-Term UOW Monitoring

D. Applications Specifically Not of Interest

II. Award Information

A. Type of Application B. Type of Award Instrument C. Award Overview

i. Estimated Funding, Number of Awards, Anticipated Award Size, and Maximum DOE Share

ii. Estimated Project Period of Performance per Area of Interest

III. Eligibility Information

A. General B. Eligible Applicants

i. Domestic Entities

ii. Foreign Entities

C. Cost Sharing

i. Cost Share Requirements

ii. Legal Responsibility

iii. Cost Share Allocation

iv. Cost Share Types and Allowability

v. Cost Share Verification

D. Compliance Criteria E. Responsiveness Criteria F. Number of Submittals Eligible for Review G. Questions Regarding Eligibility

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Form and Content Requirements B. Full Applications

i. Application Package

ii. Content and Form of Full Application

iii. SF-424: Application for Federal Assistance

iv. Project/Performance Site Location(s)

v. Other Attachments Form

vi. Technical Volume File – Mandatory Other Attachment

vii. Summary for Public Release

viii. Project Management Plan

ix. Resumes

x. Statement of Project Objectives vii

xi. SF 424A Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs (SF424) File

xii. Budget Justification File

xiii. Subrecipient Budget Justification (if applicable)

xiv. Environmental Questionnaire

xv. Letters of Commitment

xvi. SF-LLL: Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable)

xvii. Waiver Requests

xviii. Data Management Plan

xix. Current and Pending Support

xx. Transparency of Foreign Connections

xxi. Potentially Duplicative Funding Notice

xxii. Impacted Indian Tribes Documentation

xxiii. U.S. Manufacturing Commitments

C. Post Selection Information Requests D. Submission Dates and Times E. Intergovernmental Review F. Other Submission and Registration Requirements

i. Registration Process

ii. Where to Submit

iii. Full Application Proof of Timely Submissions

iv. Electronic Authorization of Applications and Award Documents

G. Funding Restrictions

i. Allowable Costs

ii. Pre-Award Costs

iii. Performance of Work in the United States (Foreign Work Waiver)

iv. Construction

v. Foreign Travel

vi. Equipment and Supplies

vii. Build America Buy America Requirements for Infrastructure Projects

viii. Lobbying

ix. Risk Assessment

x. Prohibition related to Foreign Government-Sponsored Talent Recruitment Programs

xi. Affirmative Action and Pay Transparency Requirements

xii. Foreign Collaboration Considerations

V. Application Review Information

A. Review Criteria

i. Compliance/Responsiveness Review

ii. Full Application Merit Review Criteria

B. Other Selection Factors

i. Program Policy Factors

C. Other Review Requirements

i. Recipient Responsibility and Qualifications

D. Review and Selection Process

i. Merit Review

ii. Selection

iii. Discussions and Award

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Notices

i. Ineligible Submissions

ii. Full Application Notifications

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements viii

i. Award Administrative Requirements

ii. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM)

iii. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Financing Statements

iv. Foreign National Participation

v. Export Control

vi. Statement of Federal Stewardship

vii. Statement of Substantial Involvement

viii. Environmental Review in Accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

ix. Conference Spending

x. Indemnity

xi. Interim Conflict of Interest Policy for Financial Assistance

xii. Participants and Collaborating Organizations

xiii. Current and Pending Support

xiv. Fraud, Waste and Abuse

xv. Human Subjects Research

xvi. Real Property and Equipment

C. Reporting

i. Reporting Requirements

ii. Subaward and Executive Reporting

D. Applicant Representations and Certifications

i. Nondisclosure and Confidentiality Agreements Representations

ii. Corporate Felony Convictions and Tax Liabilities Representations

VII. Questions/Agency Contacts

A. Questions B. Agency Contact

VIII. Other Information

A. Modifications B. Government Right to Reject or Negotiate C. Commitment of Public Funds D. Treatment of Application Information E. Evaluation and Administration by Non-Federal Personnel F. Intellectual Property Developed Under This Program (September 2021) G. Energy Data eXchange (EDX) Requirements H. Notice Regarding Eligible/Ineligible Activities I. Notice of Right to Conduct a Review of Financial Capability J. Notice of Potential Disclosure Under Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) K. Requirement for Full and Complete Disclosure L. Retention of Submissions M. Protected Personally Identifiable Information N. Annual Compliance Audits O. Accounting System P. Indirect Rates Q. Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment R. Implementation of Executive Order 13798, Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty

IX. Appendices

Appendix A – Cost Share Information

Appendix B – Waiver Requests For: 1. Foreign Entity Participation; and 2. Foreign Work

Appendix C – Buy America Requirements for Infrastructure Projects Required Use of American Iron, Steel, Manufactured Products, and Construction Materials ix

Appendix D – Statement of Project Objectives Template

Appendix E – Project Management Plan Template

Appendix F – Data Management Plan

Appendix G – Technology Readiness Levels

Appendix H – Technology Maturation Plan

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Authorizing Statutes

The programmatic authorizing statutes are:

• Public Law (PL) 95-91, DOE Organization Act

• PL 116-260, Energy Act of 2020 (Division Z of the “Consolidated

Appropriations Act, 2021’’)

• PL 109-58, Energy Policy Act 2005, as amended, at 42 U.S.C. §16291

Awards made under this announcement will fall under the purview of 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200 as amended by 2 CFR Part 910.

B. Background/Description

Orphaned wells are defined as wells that have no responsible operator monitoring their condition and/or that were plugged or abandoned prior to 1985 utilizing obsolete techniques.1 An undocumented orphaned well (UOW) is an orphaned well that is entirely unknown to the responsible regulatory agency or a well of which the responsible agency has some evidence of existence, but where precise location and characterization requires further investigation. Undocumented orphaned wells can often go undetected and uncharacterized for years or decades while potentially leaking oil, natural gas, brine, or other gases to the atmosphere.

It is estimated that there are over 126,000 orphaned wells and 310,000 to 800,000 undocumented orphaned wells among 32 oil and gas producing states (Figure 1).2 Estimates vary widely due to the uncertainty of historical records and the long history of oil and natural gas production of particular states or regions. The uncertainty in the quantity of existing UOWs results in a similar uncertainty regarding methane emissions and other potential environmental impacts.

Contaminants that are of particular concern with respect to groundwater and surface water include methane, arsenic, hydrogen sulfide, and benzene.

1 Plugging Pennsylvania’s Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells, LINK 2 Idle and Orphan Oil and Gas Wells: State and Provincial Regulatory Strategies 2021, IOGCC Report https://www.congress.gov/bill/95th-congress/senate-bill/826 https://www.congress.gov/116/plaws/publ260/PLAW-116publ260.pdf https://www.congress.gov/116/plaws/publ260/PLAW-116publ260.pdf https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/house-bill/6/text https://www.dep.pa.gov/OurCommonWealth/pages/Article.aspx?post=91#:%7E:text=The%20Oil%20and%20Gas%20Act,a%20royalty%20interest%20from%20the

Figure 1: Estimated Count of Undocumented Orphaned Wells across the U.S.

Technologies do exist to assist in the location, identification, characterization, and plugging of undocumented orphaned wells. However, in many instances traditional aerial survey methods such as magnetometry may not be successful in identifying undocumented orphaned wells due to their age or condition. In some instances, older undocumented orphaned wells have been found to have their casings or metal components removed so that the materials could be repurposed and were backfilled or “plugged” with whatever materials were on hand. More robust options for well identification and characterization are needed to more effectively mitigate emissions to the atmosphere and other environmental impacts. Fundamental concepts related to non-invasive well identification and characterization techniques are being pursued by the DOE Consortium Advancing Technology for Assessment of Lost Oil & Gas Wells (CATALOG), which supports the intent of this FOA.

The highly skewed distribution of emissions from UOWs, combined with other factors such as geographic locale, creates several unique challenges to determining the best course of action to locate the wells, characterize emissions, assess environmental impacts, and understand the condition of the wellbore to effectively plug and abandon each well. In many cases, factors such as material and equipment costs, site access, and environmental sensitivities in proxy to the well location may limit the ability to utilize traditional wellbore characterization and emissions monitoring tools in addition to well plugging and abandonment techniques. These challenges along with the sheer numbers of wells that are expected to need remediation pose a significant challenge.

In the near-term, additional R&D is needed to accelerate methane emissions mitigation from UOWs in a cost-effective manner. While commercial remediation technologies exist for reducing emissions from UOWs, these technologies are not being adopted and employed as quickly as necessary, most likely due to cost, material availability, and operational factors. R&D is needed to develop disruptive technologies to accelerate the deployment of characterization and remediation measures, and to advance toward commercialization the cost-effective technology options that can more efficiently characterize the wellbore condition and environmental impacts associated with the UOW and provide a range of wellbore plugging and abandonment (P&A) options.

C. Objectives/Areas of Interest

DOE aims to enhance technologies and processes for effective characterization of UOWs; improve advanced sensors for the measurement, estimation, and tracking of methane emissions from these wells and their associated infrastructure; and support the development of new characterization concepts and advanced materials for more efficient and cost-effective permanent P&A of such wells.

The objective of this FOA is to competitively solicit applications for advancing cost-effective technology options toward commercialization that can more efficiently characterize the condition of the UOW and provide a range of remediation options, specifically:

• Novel, advanced remediation materials for boreholes in various conditions and with minimal surface disturbance, including but not limited to various biofilm and biochar technologies.

• Technologies for determining the condition of UOW boreholes using remote sensing and surface-based non-invasive technologies.

• Techniques for determining when novel plugging and abandonment procedures are required. Topics include but are not limited to cost, ease of installation, surface requirements, subsurface limitations, training etc.

• Cost effective long term well monitoring techniques and technologies for methane emissions detection and quantification.

Accordingly, this FOA has three (3) Areas of Interest (AOI) aligned with this objective.

The Areas of Interest (AOIs) for this Undocumented Orphaned Well Characterization and Remediation Announcement are:

• AOI 1: Advanced Remediation Techniques for UOW Boreholes

• AOI 2: UOW Wellbore Characterization

• AOI 3: Long-Term UOW Monitoring

i. Area of Interest 1: Advanced Remediation Techniques for UOW Boreholes

a. Objectives and Background

It is estimated that there are over 126,000 orphaned wells and 310,000 to 800,000 undocumented orphaned wells among 32 oil and gas producing states (Figure 1).3 Estimates vary widely due to the uncertainty of historical records and the long history of oil and natural gas production of states or regions.

Contaminants that are of particular concern with respect to groundwater and surface water include methane, arsenic, hydrogen sulfide, and benzene.

Similarly, air-borne contaminants of concern related to UOWs include methane, hydrogen sulfide, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Developing novel cost-effective, environmentally beneficial, and robust P&A strategies and technologies for UOWs would reduce their environmental impact.

As the number of wellbores requiring effective P&A operations increases, the need for low-cost materials for permanent plugging will also increase.

Cementitious materials typically used for well plugging can be expensive and may not be effectively deployable in newly identified wellbores that are of variable geometries, diameters, or are damaged in a manner that cannot be effectively repaired prior to plugging. New materials including those that provide for the biochemical deposition of carbonate plugging minerals or other low-carbon sealing concepts will help accelerate the possibility that larger numbers of wellbores can be permanently plugged and abandoned more quickly.

DOE is seeking applications to address the need for novel, advanced remediation approaches and materials for UOW boreholes in various conditions and with minimal surface disturbance, including but not limited to, various biofilm and biochar technologies, and excluding common or general cementitious materials to effectively eliminate methane emissions from unplugged wells.

In addition, proposed technologies or processes regarding wellbore P&A are strongly suggested to be validated through field deployment under standard operating conditions for P&A.

• Methane emissions (or simulated emissions where necessary) will be required to be monitored before and after the P&A technologies or

3 Idle and Orphan Oil and Gas Wells: State and Provincial Regulatory Strategies 2021, IOGCC Report processes are deployed in accordance with the DOI Methane Measurement Guidelines4 to determine their effectiveness.

• A detailed emissions profile of the UOWs prior to and after deployment of P&A activities will be required.

The end goal of AOI 1 is to develop novel approaches and materials for wellbore plugging, including biofilm and biochar materials, to plug and abandon UOWs in a minimally invasive way with an anticipated beginning TRL of 4 or 5 and advancing to an ending TRL of 6 by the end of the project period of performance.

Solutions must show a zero emissions profile at the well site that is in line with the current Administration’s decarbonization goals and well-aligned to support ongoing and potential future UOW emissions mitigation efforts. A clear line of comparison must be shown between the technological advancement and potential cost advantages of the proposed method over existing commercial solutions. Projects selected under this AOI will be expected to clearly address how the economics of the proposed solutions would scale across local, regional, and national scales for P&A activities of UOWs.

b. Technical Elements Required in Applications to AOI 1

Technical elements that must be included in the application are:

• An explanation of the current state-of-the-art industry practices for P&A activities relevant to UOWs, including explanation of how the proposed technology differs from current state-of-the-art or existing commercial products in terms of operation, efficiency, scalability, and cost.

• Explanation of the current state of the proposed technology including the specific elements of the approach that are expected to be further validated in the field, including how the validation of these aspects will more firmly establish the pre-commercial viability of the method. The technical and economic viability must be clearly established at the time of submission for the proposed approach including time frame for operation, an initial estimated labor hour commitment, and an outline of expected tasks to ensure the safe and effective operation of the technology in the field.

• A defined well site location must be established at the time of application for field testing in direct collaboration with an industry, 4 Methane Measurement Guidelines July 2023 (doi.gov) https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/orphaned-wells-methane-measurement-guidelines-july-2023-version.pdf

State, Federal, or other regulatory partner if developing technologies related to AOI 1. A letter of commitment from the partner must be submitted at the time of application that defines the planned well site location.

• Discussion of the proposed technology footprint. This should include an overhead layout that shows all equipment required for the proposed system such as storage tanks, monitoring equipment or required ancillary systems as they relate to the existing infrastructure and topology of the planned deployment site. Explanation of how the technology will be applied to the reduction of methane emissions at UOWs.

• Discussion of a plan for methane emissions monitoring prior to and after deployment of methane emissions mitigation technologies or approaches. A description of how the system impacts other environmental considerations at the well site, such as surface, surface water, and groundwater impacts must also be included.

• A preliminary economic assessment discussing the expected operating or maintenance costs including utilities, supplies necessary for P&A activities, other required materials, labor, and the treatment and handling of any waste streams. The impact of variables such as utility cost, the selling price of natural gas, the market cost for necessary supplies, and any disposal costs must be clearly shown in the economic assessment. Direct comparison to the economics of existing competing technologies must also be included.

• Clearly defined statement of the likely challenges and obstacles to completing the proposed work and planned strategies for meeting these challenges and mitigation of the obstacles.

• A Statement of Project Objectives (SOPO) that describes all project Tasks and subtasks to be completed, including a description of what activities will be completed under each Task and how they will be accomplished.

• A Project Management Plan (PMP) that establishes baselines (technical scope, budget, schedule) for the project and describes the approach to manage project performance relative to those baselines. The PMP should also include clearly stated project milestones and an organizational structure for the project team that explains the: roles and responsibilities of team members, integration of team members to achieve the project objectives, approach to communication among participants and with DOE, the process for making decisions on technical direction, procedures for resolving conflict, and questions regarding intellectual property.

c. Activities Not of Interest to AOI 1

Areas of R&D that are NOT of interest include any one of the following.

Applications that include them will be deemed non-responsive:

• Processes that are limited to laboratory-scale P&A technology development.

• Applications that do not have a letter of commitment at the time of submission from a “relevant” partner willing to operate the proposed technology at a well site.

• Technologies below the requested starting TRL that have not been validated in laboratory settings and are not ready for field validation.

• Off-the-shelf or commercially available technologies or those that only utilize common or general cementitious materials for P&A activities.

• Applications using computer simulations or development of modeling tools or methods that do not culminate in a field deployment for prototype testing and validation of a laboratory-proven technology at a well site.

ii. Area of Interest 2: UOW Wellbore Characterization

a. Objectives and Background

UOWs are typically older wells that have been left in an unmonitored state and allowed to decay which in turn causes them to become significant sources of emissions and leaks that negatively impact air quality, water quality, and nearby ecosystems. Commercial oil wells have been drilled and produced since 1859 in Titusville, Pennsylvania.5 In other states like New York, most orphaned wells were drilled in the late 1800s to the early 1900s.6 Historically, if wells were plugged after they had become uneconomical, materials that were typically used included wood, sediment, or other items such as cannon balls.

Understanding the condition of a UOWs wellbore is paramount in developing a viable and effective P&A strategy. Therefore, given the age and conditions that a well that is over 100 years old can be in, the development of non-invasive wellbore characterization technologies is critical to informing specific P&A strategies and when unique P&A activities are needed.

5 https://www.dep.pa.gov/OurCommonWealth/pages/Article.aspx?post=91 6 https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/oil-gas/orphaned-abandoned-well-plugging

UOWs can be located in areas with minimal surface access, due to limited (or non-existent) surface roads, topography that limits existing equipment viability, overhead access limitations (forest canopy limitations), and other potential safety hazards. In order to facilitate future non-invasive and P&A technology development, deployment, and validation, technologies and processes for determining wellbore characteristics and when novel P&A techniques would be required, including discussions of cost, ease of installation, surface requirements, subsurface limitations, and additional training needs, will help accelerate additional future R&D in this space.

DOE is seeking applications to address the need for surface deployable technologies that do not require entry into the wellbore to more effectively characterize the conditions of wellbores from UOWs, as well as determine the need for novel P&A techniques in unique situations.

The end goal of AOI 2 is to develop novel cost-effective technologies to determine wellbore characteristics and applicable strategies to plug and abandon UOWs with an anticipated beginning TRL of 4 or 5 and advancing to an ending TRL of 6 by the end of the project period of performance.

support ongoing and potential future UOW emissions mitigation efforts. A clear line of comparison must be shown between the technological advancement and potential cost advantages of the proposed method over existing commercial solutions. Projects selected under this AOI will be expected to clearly address how the economics of the proposed solutions would scale across local, regional, and national scales for characterization activities of UOWs.

b. Technical Elements Required in Applications to AOI 2

• An explanation of the current state-of-the-art well characterization technologies relevant to UOWs, including explanation of how the proposed technology differs from current state-of-the-art or existing commercial products in terms of operation, efficiency, scalability, and cost.

• Explanation of the current state of the proposed technology including the specific elements of the approach that are expected to be further validated in the field, including how the validation of these aspects will more firmly establish the pre-commercial viability of the method. The technical and economic viability must be clearly established at the time of submission for the proposed approach including time frame for operation, an initial estimated labor hour commitment, and an outline of expected tasks to ensure the safe and effective operation of the technology in the field.

• A defined well site location must be established at the time of application for field testing in direct collaboration with an industry, State, Federal, or other regulatory partner if developing technologies related to AOI 2. A letter of commitment from the partner must be submitted at the time of application that defines the planned well site location.

• Discussion of the proposed technology footprint. This should include an overhead, side-view, and/or a subsurface layout that shows all equipment required for the proposed system as they relate to the existing infrastructure and topology of the planned deployment site.

Explanation of how the technology will be specifically inform strategies to reduce methane emissions at UOWs.

• A preliminary economic assessment discussing the expected operating or maintenance costs including utilities, supplies necessary for well characterization activities, other required materials, labor, and the treatment and handling of any waste streams (if applicable). The impact of variables such as utility cost, the selling price of natural gas, the market cost for necessary supplies, and any disposal costs must be clearly shown in the economic assessment. Direct comparison to the economics of existing competing technologies must also be included.

• Clearly defined statement of the likely challenges and obstacles to completing the proposed work and planned strategies for meeting these challenges and mitigation of the obstacles.

• A Statement of Project Objectives (SOPO) that describes all project Tasks and subtasks to be completed, including a description of what activities will be completed under each Task and how they will be accomplished.

• A Project Management Plan (PMP) that establishes baselines (technical scope, budget, schedule) for the project and describes the approach to manage project performance relative to those baselines. The PMP should also include clearly stated project milestones and an organizational structure for the project team that explains the: roles and responsibilities of team members, integration of team members to achieve the project objectives, approach to communication among participants and with DOE, the process for making decisions on

c. Activities Not of Interest to AOI 2

• Processes that are limited to laboratory-scale well characterization technology development.

• Applications that do not have a letter of commitment at the time of submission from an “relevant” partner willing to operate the proposed technology at a well site.

• Technologies below the requested starting TRL that have not been validated in laboratory settings and are not ready for field validation.

• Wellbore characterization technologies that require invasive operations (i.e., entry into the wellbore for data collection).

• Applications using computer simulations or development of modeling tools or methods that do not culminate in a field deployment for prototype testing and validation of a laboratory-proven technology at a well site.

• Applications that do not address the scalability and deployment strategies for technologies that are developed.

iii. Area of Interest 3: Long-Term UOW Monitoring

a. Objectives and Background

The uncertainty in the quantity of existing UOWs coupled with their aging equipment and infrastructure results in an uncertainty regarding methane emissions and other potential environmental impacts. Contaminants that are of particular concern with respect to groundwater and surface water include methane, arsenic, hydrogen sulfide, and benzene. Similarly, air-borne contaminants of concern related to UOWs include methane, hydrogen sulfide, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Developing technologies and strategies to determine the environmental impact of a UOW over varying temporal and spatial facets is critical to understanding the environmental impacts of UOWs, how to prioritize and strategize P&A activities, to improve emissions factors, and inform national emissions inventories.

A variety of low-cost, autonomous monitoring solutions will be required to effectively identify and delineate potential impacts to air, water, and other sensitive receptors, such as local ecosystems and areas that could result in direct exposure to people or other organisms, from methane emissions from UOWs both before and after P&A operations. These will need to include technologies that can improve measurement, estimation, and tracking techniques for methane emissions related to UOWs, including remote, real-time, autonomous and continuous measurement applications, and methods that can leverage and integrate data-driven solutions to ensure accurate tracking of methane emissions related to UOWs as compared to other sources of methane emissions.

DOE is seeking applications to address the need for cost effective, long-term well monitoring techniques and technologies to measure and quantify methane emissions from UOWs. The accuracy, precision, and effectiveness of novel methane emissions monitoring technologies should be compared and evaluated to current state-of-the-art and commercially available methane emissions monitoring technologies to determine their effectiveness.

Collaborations with relevant State, Federal, and non-Federal entities would be beneficial to provide context related to current state-of-the-art efforts regarding UOW characterization and P&A activities as they are related to State, Federal, Tribal, and privately owned land. These collaborations can inform approaches for technology development, strategies for mitigating emissions, and the prioritization of UOW P&A activities. Collaboration with and leveraging knowledge from existing UOW research consortia is strongly encouraged.

The end goal of AOI 3 is to develop long-term methane monitoring technologies for determining temporal and spatial variations of emissions associated with UOWs with an anticipated beginning TRL of 4 or 5 and advancing to an ending TRL of 6 by the end of the project period of performance.

support ongoing and potential future UOW emissions mitigation efforts. A clear line of comparison must be shown between the technological advancement and potential cost advantages of the proposed method over existing commercial solutions. Projects selected under this AOI will be expected to clearly address how the economics of the proposed solutions would scale across local, regional, and national scales for methane monitoring activities of UOWs.

b. Technical Elements Required in Applications to AOI 3

• An explanation of the current state-of-the-art industry practices for emissions detection, measurement, and quantification activities relevant to UOWs, including explanation of how the proposed technology differs from current state-of-the-art or existing commercial products in terms of operation, efficiency, scalability, and cost.

• Explanation of the current state of the proposed technology including the specific elements of the approach that are expected to be further validated in the field, including how the validation of these aspects will more firmly establish the pre-commercial viability of the method. The technical and economic viability must be clearly established at the time of submission for the proposed approach including time frame for operation, an initial estimated labor hour commitment, and an outline of expected tasks to ensure the safe and effective operation of the technology in the field.

• A defined well site location must be established at the time of application for field testing in direct collaboration with an industry, State, Federal, or other regulatory partner if developing technologies related to AOI 3. A letter of commitment from the partner must be submitted at the time of application that defines the planned well site location.

• Discussion of the proposed technology footprint. This should include an overhead layout that shows all equipment required for the proposed system such as monitoring equipment or required ancillary systems as they relate to the existing infrastructure and topology of the planned deployment site. Explanation of how the technology will be applied to the reduction of methane emissions at UOWs.

• A preliminary economic assessment discussing the expected installation, operating, and maintenance costs including utilities, supplies necessary for emissions monitoring activities, other required materials and labor. The impact of variables such as utility cost, the selling price of natural gas, and the market cost for necessary supplies must be clearly shown in the economic assessment. Direct comparison to the economics of existing competing technologies must also be included.

• A discussion related to how the emissions monitoring efforts of UOWs could improve national emissions databases, emissions factors, and be included in an integrated methane monitoring platform on local, regional, and national scales.

• Clearly defined statement of the likely challenges and obstacles to completing the proposed work and planned strategies for meeting these challenges and mitigation of the obstacles.

• A Statement of Project Objectives (SOPO) that describes all project Tasks and subtasks to be completed, including a description of what activities will be completed under each Task and how they will be accomplished.

• A Project Management Plan (PMP) that establishes baselines (technical scope, budget, schedule) for the project and describes the approach to manage project performance relative to those baselines. The PMP should also include clearly stated milestones and an organizational structure for the project team that explains the: roles and responsibilities of team members, integration of team members to achieve the project objectives, approach to communication among participants and with DOE, the process for making decisions on

c. Activities Not of Interest to AOI 3

• Processes that are limited to laboratory-scale emissions monitoring technology development.

• Applications that do not have a letter of commitment at the time of submission from a partner willing to operate the proposed technology at a well site.

• Technologies below the requested starting TRL that have not been validated in laboratory settings and are not ready for field validation.

• Off-the-shelf or commercially available technologies for methane emissions monitoring.

• Applications using computer simulations or development of modeling tools or methods that do not culminate in a field deployment for prototype testing and validation of a laboratory-proven technology at a well site.

• Applications that do not address the scalability and deployment strategies for technologies that are developed.

D. Applications Specifically Not of Interest

The following types of applications will be deemed nonresponsive and will not be reviewed or considered (See Section III, Eligibility Information; Responsiveness Criteria):

• Submissions that fall outside the technical parameters specified in Section I, “Funding Opportunity Description; Objectives/Areas of Interest” of the FOA.

• Submissions for proposed technologies that are not based on sound scientific principles (e.g., violates the laws of thermodynamics).

• Submissions for basic research aimed solely at discovery and/or fundamental knowledge generation.

• Submissions for proposed technologies that represent incremental improvements to existing technologies.

• Submissions for proposed technologies that are not transformational, as described in Section I, “Funding Opportunity Description; Objectives/Areas of Interest” of the FOA.

• Submissions for proposed technologies that do not have the potential to become disruptive in nature, as described in Section I, Funding Opportunity Description; Objectives/Areas of Interest” of the FOA. Technologies must be scalable such that they could be disruptive with sufficient technical progress.

• Submissions that describe a technology but do not propose a R&D plan that allows DOE to evaluate the submission under the applicable merit review criteria provided in Section V, “Application Review Information; Review Criteria” of the FOA.

• Submissions that do not include access to a field site test location.

II. Award Information

A. Type of Application

DOE will accept only new applications under this announcement.

B. Type of Award Instrument

DOE anticipates awarding cooperative agreements under this funding opportunity announcement (See Section VI, “Award Administration Information;

Statement of Substantial Involvement”).

C. Award Overview

i. Estimated Funding, Number of Awards, Anticipated Award Size, and Maximum DOE Share DOE expects to make Federal funding available for new awards under this FOA as follows:

Area of Interest

Estimated Federal Funding

Anticipated No. of

Awards

Anticipated Individual Award Size DOE Share

Cost Share

Total

1 $10,200,000 Up to 3 $3,400,000/80% $850,000/20% $4,250,000 2 $2,400,000 Up to 2 $1,200,000/80% $300,000/20% $1,500,000 3 $2,400,000 Up to 2 $1,200,000/80% $300,000/20% $1,500,000

Total $15,000,000 Up to 7

DOE may issue awards in one, multiple or none of the areas of interests.

APPLICATIONS WHICH EXCEED THE “MAXIMUM DOE SHARE OF AWARD”

SPECIFIED ABOVE WILL BE CONSIDERED NONCOMPLIANT (SEE SECTION III,

“ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION; COMPLIANCE CRITERIA”). DOE WILL NOT

REVIEW OR CONSIDER NONCOMPLIANT APPLICATIONS.

DOE may establish more than one budget period for each award and fund only the initial budget period(s). Funding for all budget periods, including the initial budget period, is not guaranteed. Funding for all awards and future budget periods are contingent upon the availability of funds appropriated by Congress for the purpose of this program and the availability of future-year budget authority.

ii. Estimated Project Period of Performance per Area of Interest

The maximum anticipated project period of performance for projects under each Area of Interest in this announcement is:

Typically, budget periods are established on an annual basis. In some cases, shorter or longer budget periods may be established for compelling programmatic or administrative reasons, such as to allow for project phases not evenly divisible with 12-month increments or to provide program personnel with logical decision points to evaluate whether the project should proceed.

Area of Interest Maximum Project Period of Performance 1 3 years 2 3 years 3 3 years

III. Eligibility Information

A. General

To be considered for substantive evaluation, an applicant‘s submission must meet the criteria set forth below. If the application does not meet these initial requirements, it will be considered non-responsive, removed from further evaluation, and ineligible for any award.

B. Eligible Applicants

i. Domestic Entities

Domestic entities are eligible to apply as prime recipients or subrecipient(s).

The following types of domestic entities are eligible to participate as a prime recipient or subrecipient of this FOA:

1. Institutions of higher education;

2. For-profit entities;

3. Non-profit entities;

4. State and local governmental entities, and

5. Indian Tribes, as defined in Section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and

Education Assistance Act, 25 U.S.C. § 53047.

To qualify as a domestic entity, the entity must be organized, chartered or incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the laws of a particular state or territory of the United States or under the laws of the United States; have majority domestic ownership and control; and have a physical place of business in the United States.

DOE/NNSA FFRDCs (including NETL) are not eligible for award under this announcement and may not be proposed as a subrecipient on another entity’s application. An application that includes any DOE/NNSA FFRDC

7 Indian Tribe,” for the purposes of this FOA and as defined in in…