Simpler Grants.gov #DE-FOA-0003630

ARPA-E UNLOCK Funding for Field-Validated Subsurface Recovery Technologies

ARPA-E seeks research teams to develop and field-validate technologies that improve recovery from low-permeability subsurface resources. - Government buyer: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E). - Opportunity: UNLOCK research and development funding opportunity, DE-FOA-0003630; approximately $45 million is anticipated across this opportunity and related DE-FOA-0003631, with 9–12 awards expected across both. - Project funding: The federal share for an award under this opportunity may be $3 million to $5 million. Cost sharing is required. - Technical focus: Integrated stimulation and enhanced recovery, supported by sensing, numerical modeling, and laboratory experiments. Projects address shale and tight oil and gas or other low-permeability subsurface resources, including geothermal energy, minerals and metals, and coalbed methane. - Performance and validation: Target doubling per-well recovery efficiency while maintaining or reducing production costs and wastewater. Projects must progress from laboratory validation to field testing at a committed site, with the site operator involved throughout both phases. - Products and vendors: No specific products, part numbers, OEMs, or commercial vendors are identified; this opportunity funds R&D services.

Description

The funding opportunity supports next-generation technologies to improve stimulation and recovery efficiency, expand flow pathways, and improve water management across subsurface resources, including oil and gas, geothermal energy, minerals and metals, and coalbed methane. It addresses technical barriers in low-permeability, geologically complex formations, including challenges involving recovery rates, fracture access and conductivity, sensing, fluid containment, and wastewater management. Applicants may propose applied R&D ranging from proof-of-concept research through technologies with existing demonstrations, and proposed end deliverables may be partial solutions. Applications must be submitted through DOE eXCHANGE; the NOFO states that cost sharing is required.

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