Improved Oil and Gas Recovery and Produced Water Management Technologies

The U.S. Department of Energy through its Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office is offering funding under the program titled Improved Oil and Gas Recovery and Produced Water Management Technologies. This initiative is designed to support research and development efforts that improve recovery efficiency from unconventional oil and natural gas reservoirs while advancing technologies for managing and treating produced water. The program aligns with national energy priorities to increase domestic energy production efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and accelerate the adoption of innovative technologies in the oil and gas sector. The funding opportunity focuses on two primary objectives. First, it seeks to significantly enhance recovery efficiency from unconventional reservoirs, where current recovery rates often remain below ten percent. Second, it aims to improve the treatment and beneficial reuse of produced water generated during oil and gas extraction. By supporting field deployment and validation of advanced technologies, the program intends to reduce reliance on deep well injection and mitigate associated risks such as induced seismicity and groundwater contamination. The program provides substantial funding through cooperative agreements or other transaction agreements, with total federal funding available up to one hundred fifty million dollars and a required minimum cost share of twenty percent for most projects. Funding is distributed across multiple topic areas, including enhanced recovery technologies, fracture characterization and diagnostics, carbon dioxide based recovery methods, and produced water treatment systems. Individual awards may reach up to twenty million dollars depending on the topic area, and projects are expected to run for approximately five years with structured budget periods and performance reviews. Eligible applicants include a wide range of domestic entities such as institutions of higher education, for profit organizations, nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, and tribal entities. Foreign participation is generally restricted but may be allowed through a formal waiver process. All project work is required to be performed within the United States unless an exception is granted. Applicants must also demonstrate collaboration with industry partners, including providing letters of intent confirming access to field sites and operational data necessary for testing and validation. The application process requires submission through the DOE NETL eXCHANGE platform and includes multiple components such as a technical volume, statement of project objectives, project management plan, budget justification, and letters of intent or commitment from industry partners. Applications must clearly outline technical objectives, expected impacts, project methodology, and evaluation metrics. Projects are evaluated based on technical merit, relevance to program goals, feasibility, and potential for industry adoption. Key dates include the application deadline of September 8, 2026, with anticipated selection notifications in January 2027 and award issuance expected in May 2027. The program may remain open for multiple years with periodic review cycles, allowing for recurring opportunities to apply. Selected projects will undergo performance monitoring and must meet defined technology readiness and impact benchmarks throughout the project lifecycle. Overall, this funding opportunity represents a large scale federal investment in advancing energy production efficiency and environmental sustainability. By emphasizing field validation, industry collaboration, and scalable solutions, the program seeks to bridge the gap between research innovation and real world deployment in the oil and gas sector.

Ensure strong industry partnerships and provide clear field validation plans with measurable recovery improvements and water treatment outcomes