Funding initiative targets subsurface sensing research

Department of Energy (DOE) officials have initiated the process of issuing a Notice of Intent for a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), with the overarching goal of supporting subsurface sensing research.

The DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) joined in the declaration (Transformational Sensing Capabilities for Monitoring the Subsurface), which they said would fund research and development (R&D) projects contributing to the development of transformational sensing capabilities for monitoring parameters associated with subsurface carbon dioxide (CO2) storage.

Officials said both agencies would solicit and award research and development projects designed to improve existing technologies to reduce uncertainty and enable real-time decision making associated with subsurface CO2 storage.

Prospective FOA applicants should begin developing partnerships, formulating ideas and gathering data in anticipation of its issuance in the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2019. No applications will be accepted through the Notice of Intent, and all of the information it contains is subject to change.

As part of its duties, the Office of Fossil Energy funds research and development projects to reduce the risk and cost of advanced fossil energy technologies while furthering the sustainable use of the nation’s fossil resources.