In (at least) the third instance of the administration taking away Dept. of Energy research funds in 5 years, the FY 2006 budget will no longer finance DoE natural gas and oil research with its $75 million annual budget. A Petroleum Technology Transfer Council (PTTC) alert urges energy companies, especially smaller ones, and universities to support a new congressional subcommittee that will keep this funding alive.
From the testimony of David Morse, Director of the Midwest PTTC (University of Illinois – Illinois State Geological Survey, Champaign, Illinois):
There are those who ask why tax dollars should support oil and gas research and programs such as PTTC. My response is that these are vital to the nation“s security and to the domestic economy. This research and PTTC can improve the domestic supply of oil and gas, which in turn will drive down the price … Eighty-five percent of DOE“s R&D programs are tailored to the exploration and development activities of the independent producer. These small companies drill 90 percent of the nation“s oil wells and they produce 85 percent of the nation“s natural gas. For these companies, undertaking costly research activities is not a viable option. They must gain education and access to technology from outside their doors, a key function provided by PTTC.
I have a funny feeling the funding will stay in place, merely due to the strategic importance of the project. In any case, researchers, keep your dartboards and probability textbooks handy.
