DOE OSTI2015
The Petroleum Technology Transfer Council (PTTC) is a unique not-for-profit network that focuses on transferring Exploration and Production (E&P) technology to the domestic oil and natural gas producing industry. PTTC connects producers, technology providers and innovators, academia, research and development (R&D) consortiums and governments. Local affordable workshops delivered by Regional Lead Organizations (RLOs), which are typically a university or geological survey, are a primary tool. PTTC also maintains a website network, issues a national newsletter, provides a column in a major trade publication, and exhibits at major industry events. It also encourages industry to ask technology-related questions, striving to find relevant answers that will save questioners significant time. Working since late 1993, the PTTC network has a proven track record of providing industry with technology insights they can apply. Volunteers at the regional and national level provide key guidance regarding where to focus technical effort and help connect PTTC with industry. At historical funding levels, PTTC had been able to hold well more than 100 workshops per year, drawing 6,000+ attendees. As funding decreased in the early 2000s, the level of activity decreased and PTTC sought a merger with the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), becoming an AAPG-managed organization at the start of FY08. This relationship with AAPG was terminated by mutual consent in May 2011 and PTTC once again operates independently. Chris Hall, California continued to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors until December 2013. At the time PTTC reorganized into a RLO led organization with Mary Carr and Jeremy Viscomi as co-Executive Directors. Jerry Anderson became the Chairman of the PTTC Board of Directors and Chris Hall continues to serve on the Board. Workshop activity stabilized at 55-65 workshops per year averaging 3,100 attendees. FY14 represented the fifth year in a multi-year contract with the Department of Energy (DOE) for providing technology transfer services. This report summarizes activity and results during for five years, FY10 through FY14. In FY12 changes occurred in responsibilities of consultants serving HQ, because funding was reduced below the threshold level of $500,000 audits were no longer required and consultant time was reduced on the primary contract. Contracts for Permian Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) training, and providing tech transfer services to the Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA) provided work that enabled HQ to retain services of regular consultants. Both CCUS and RPSEA were five year contracts with PTTC, and providing services for these DOE funded contracts provided synergy for PTTC and the oil and gas industry. With further decreases in DOE funding the regions conducted workshops with no PTTC funding starting in June FY11. Since 2011 the number of workshops has declined from 79 in FY10 and FY11 to 49 in FY12, and risen to 54 in FY13 and 63 in FY14. The attendee's numbers dipped slightly below 3,000 per year in FY 10, FY12, and FY13, but rose to over 3,800 in FY 11 and 3105 in FY14. Quantitative accomplishments: PTTC has maintained its unique structure of a national organization working through Regional Lead Organizations (RLOs) to deliver local, affordable workshops. During the contract period PTTC consolidated from 10 to five regions to increase efficiency, and because no active RLO's would be maintained in the Central and Eastern Gulf Coast regions. RLO's for the regions are located at: Eastern - West Virginia University, (Illinois Geol. Survey., W. Michigan Univ. FY10-12); Midwest created in FY13 - Illinois Geological Survey, W. Michigan University; Midcontinent - University of Kansas, expanded to Houston, TX (2013-14); Rocky Mountain - Colorado School of Mines; Texas/SE New Mexico (FY10-FY11) - Bureau of Economic Geology, Univ. of Texas at Austin; West Coast - Conservation Committee of California O&G Producers.