95-16293. Financial Assistance Award: Petrosurveys, Inc.

[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 127 (Monday, July 3, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 34524]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-16293]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Financial Assistance Award: Petrosurveys, Inc.

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy announces that pursuant to 10 
CFR 600.6(a)(2) it is making a financial assistance award under Grant 
Number DE-FG01-95CE15626 to Petrosurveys, Inc. The proposed grant will 
provide funding in the estimated amount of $98,178 by the Department of 
Energy for the purpose of locating energy sources through development 
of the inventor's ``System for Discovering the Locations of Sea Floor 
Seepages of Petroleum.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Energy has determined in 
accordance with 10 CFR 600.14(e)(1) that the unsolicited application 
for financial assistance submitted by Petrosurveys, Inc., is 
meritorious based on the general evaluation required by 10 CFR 
600.14(d) and the proposed project represents a unique idea that would 
not be eligible for financial assistance under a recent, current or 
planned solicitation. The new technology is expected to complete the 
prototype development of an apparatus to locate and map sea floor 
petroleum seepages using a ship-borne, instrumented surveying system 
that is an extremely cost-effective alternative to conventional 
exploration techniques. The technology provides a faster and cheaper 
way to locate oil seeps compared to seismic surveying. The applicant's 
exploration method will cover a greater area of the sea with an 
equivalent degree of accuracy than with current methods. Therefore, the 
technology presents a higher probability of opening up new oil fields, 
and thus will have a long-term beneficial effect upon the Nation's 
energy supply.
    The inventor and principal investigator, Dr. Keith F. M. Thompson 
has extensive experience in petroleum geochemistry. He has written 
numerous journal articles and is an active member in several 
geochemical and geological societies. For the proposed project, Dr. 
Thompson will utilize the marine engineering staff and facilities of 
HBOI. The proposed project is not eligible for financial assistance 
under a recent, current or planned solicitation because the funding 
program, the Energy Related Invention Program (ERIP), has been 
structured since its beginning in 1975 to operate without competitive 
solicitations because the authorizing legislation directs ERIP to 
provide support for worthy ideas submitted by the public. The program 
has never issued and has no plans to issue a competitive solicitation. 
This award will be made 14 calendar days after publication to allow for 
public comment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please write the U.S. Department of 
Energy, Office of Placement and Administration, ATTN: Sara Wilson, HR-
561.21, 1000 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20585.
    The anticipated term of the proposed grant is 18 months from the 
date of award.
Lynn Warner,
Contracting Officer, Office of Placement and Administration.
[FR Doc. 95-16293 Filed 6-30-95; 8:45 am]
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