I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2756
To establish a mechanism for funding research, development, and demonstra-
tion activities relating to ultra-deepwater and unconventional natural
gas and other petroleum exploration and production technologies, and
for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AUGUST 2. 2001
Mr. HALL of Texas (for himself, Mr. LARGENT, Mr. BARTON of Texas, Mr.
BOEHLERT, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Mr.
SANDLIN, Mr. ORTIZ, and Mr. CANNON) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Science, and in addition to the
Committee on Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To establish a mechanism for funding research, development,
and demonstration activities relating to ultra-deepwater
and unconventional natural gas and other petroleum ex-
ploration and production technologies, and for other pur-
poses.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Natural Gas and Other
Petroleum Research, Development, and Demonstration
Act of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act—
(1) the term ‘‘deepwater’’ means water depths
greater than 200 meters but less than 1,500 meters;
(2) the term ‘‘Fund’’ means the Ultra-Deep-
water and Unconventional Gas Research Fund es-
tablished under section 10;
(3) the term ‘‘institution of higher education’’
has the meaning given that term in section 101 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1001);
(4) the term ‘‘Research Organization’’ means
the Research Organization created pursuant to sec-
tion 6(a);
(5) the term ‘‘ultra-deepwater’’ means water
depths greater than 1,500 meters; and
(6) the term ‘‘unconventional’’ means located in
heretofore inaccessible or uneconomic formations on
land.
SEC. 3. ULTRA-DEEPWATER PROGRAM.
The Secretary shall establish a program of research,
development, and demonstration of ultra-deepwater nat-
ural gas and other petroleum exploration and production
technologies, in areas currently available for Outer Conti-
nental Shelf leasing. The program shall be carried out by
the Research Organization as provided in this Act.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL ENERGY TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY.
The National Energy Technology Laboratory and the
United States Geological Survey, when appropriate, shall
carry out programs of long-term research into new natural
gas and other petroleum exploration and production tech-
nologies and environmental mitigation technologies for
production from unconventional and ultra-deepwater re-
sources, including methane hydrates. Such Laboratory
shall also conduct a program of research, development,
and demonstration of new technologies for the reduction
of greenhouse gas emissions from unconventional and
ultra-deepwater natural gas or other petroleum explo-
ration and production activities, including sub-sea floor
carbon sequestration technologies.
SEC. 5. ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall, within 3
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, estab-
lish an Advisory Committee consisting of 7 members, each
having extensive operational knowledge of and experience
in the natural gas and other petroleum exploration and
production industry who are not Federal Government em-
ployees or contractors. A minimum of 4 members shall
have extensive knowledge of ultra-deepwater natural gas
or other petroleum exploration and production tech-
nologies, a minimum of 2 members shall have extensive
knowledge of unconventional natural gas or other petro-
leum exploration and production technologies, and at least
1 member shall have extensive knowledge of greenhouse
gas emission reduction technologies, including carbon se-
questration.
(b) FUNCTION.—The Advisory Committee shall ad-
vise the Secretary on the selection of an organization to
create the Research Organization and on the implementa-
tion of this Act.
(c) COMPENSATION.—Members of the Advisory Com-
mittee shall serve without compensation but shall receive
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence,
in accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter
I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
(d) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—The costs of activities
carried out by the Secretary and the Advisory Committee
under this Act shall be paid or reimbursed from the Fund.
(e) DURATION OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—Section
14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act shall not apply
to the Advisory Committee.
SEC. 6. RESEARCH ORGANIZATION.
(a) SELECTION OF RESEARCH ORGANIZATION.—The
Secretary, within 6 months after the date of the enactment
of this Act, shall solicit proposals from eligible entities for
the creation of the Research Organization, and within 3
months after such solicitation, shall select an entity to cre-
ate the Research Organization.
(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—Entities eligible to create
the Research Organization shall—
(1) have been in existence as of the date of the
enactment of this Act;
(2) be entities exempt from tax under section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
and
(3) be experienced in planning and managing
programs in natural gas or other petroleum explo-
ration and production research, development, and
demonstration.
(c) PROPOSALS.—A proposal from an entity seeking
to create the Research Organization shall include a de-
tailed description of the proposed membership and struc-
ture of the Research Organization.
(d) FUNCTIONS.—The Research Organization shall—
(1) award grants on a competitive basis to
qualified—
(A) research institutions;