Novel Sensing and Monitoring Technologies for Subsurface Detection of CO2 | Apply Online

FAQs: Novel Sensing and Monitoring Technologies for Subsurface Detection of CO2 (DE-FOA-0000732)

What is the title and reference number of this funding opportunity?

The funding opportunity is titled "Novel Sensing and Monitoring Technologies for Subsurface Detection of CO2" and is identified as DE-FOA-0000732.

Which U.S. government agency is offering this opportunity?

This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and is administered through the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).

What is the main purpose of the FOA?

The main purpose is to competitively fund projects that create or significantly advance subsurface sensing and monitoring technologies for carbon dioxide (CO2) that has been injected deep underground for long-term geologic storage. The goal is to make CO2 injection and storage safer, more reliable, and less expensive.

What broader DOE goals does this opportunity support?

The FOA supports DOE strategic goals related to reducing emissions from fossil-fuel-based power generation and industrial sources by enabling more effective, verifiable geologic CO2 storage.

What kind of technology progress is DOE looking for?

DOE is looking for technologies that go beyond incremental improvements and that address persistent gaps in the monitoring toolset needed for commercial-scale carbon storage.

What does "99 percent permanence" mean in this context?

"99 percent permanence" refers to the Carbon Storage Program objective that CO2 injected into suitable geologic formations should remain securely stored over the long term. Monitoring, measurement, and accounting methods must be capable of verifying where CO2 goes, how it behaves over time, and whether unintended migration pathways develop.

Why is monitoring technology so important for geologic CO2 storage?

Monitoring is needed to confirm containment, verify storage performance over time, and detect or provide indicators of leakage risks. The FOA emphasizes that monitoring must be robust enough to support long project lifecycles and to provide confidence that stored CO2 remains where intended.

What limitations of existing monitoring approaches does the FOA highlight?

The FOA notes that existing monitoring approaches can be costly to implement and may not be well suited for long-duration projects, particularly under harsh physical and chemical conditions in deep subsurface environments.

What durability or lifetime expectations are emphasized for the technologies?

The opportunity explicitly calls for sensors and monitoring systems that can survive and function reliably over decades, reflecting the long operational and management lifecycles expected for storage projects.

What are the three core monitoring outcomes DOE highlights?

The FOA highlights three outcomes: (1) determining the location and movement of the CO2 plume in the storage reservoir, (2) identifying the boundaries and evolution of elevated formation pressure, and (3) monitoring for leaks or leakage indicators around wellbores and along natural geologic features such as faults and fractures.

What does the FOA mean by monitoring the CO2 plume location and movement?

It refers to the ability to track where the injected CO2 is within the storage reservoir and how it moves over time, so operators can confirm that the plume remains within the intended storage complex.

Why is formation pressure monitoring specifically called out?

Pressure management is closely tied to storage integrity. The FOA stresses the importance of identifying the boundaries and evolution of elevated formation pressure because pressure changes can increase the risk of pushing fluids or CO2 into unintended zones.

Where are leakage risks most often monitored according to the FOA?

The FOA identifies monitoring for leaks or leakage indicators around wellbores and along natural geologic features such as faults and fractures, which are common focal points in site assessments and compliance plans.

Does DOE view monitoring as useful only for compliance and containment verification?

No. The FOA notes that robust sensors integrated into field-scale systems can also help optimize injection and storage operations by providing actionable feedback during operations.

What integration or adoption challenge does DOE describe?

The FOA explains that integrating new monitoring tools into an operating project can introduce risk. DOE signals interest in approaches that improve practicality of field integration, reliability, and decision-making confidence when incorporating novel tools into monitoring plans.

Is DOE interested in sensors alone, or full systems as well?

The FOA suggests DOE is interested not only in novel sensors in isolation, but also in field-scale integration and system-level approaches that reduce deployment risk and improve operational decision-making.

How does this FOA relate to existing monitoring tools from the oil and gas sector?

The FOA points out that while some similar tools exist in oil and gas, they are often not designed for the specific demands of long-term CO2 storage and the monitoring expectations associated with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class VI program.

What is the regulatory context mentioned in the FOA?

The FOA references alignment with the EPA Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class VI program, highlighting that monitoring technologies should be tailored to the operational time scale and verification needs of geologic CO2 sequestration.

What funding instrument is used for this opportunity?

This is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement, meaning DOE expects substantial involvement during the project period rather than a hands-off grant model.

How many awards were anticipated and what was the estimated total funding?

The FOA anticipated about four awards with an estimated total funding of $4,000,000.

Is cost sharing required?

Yes. The opportunity required cost sharing or matching.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, indicating that any type of entity could apply in principle, subject to any clarifications in the full announcement.

What were the key dates for this FOA?

The FOA was posted on May 11, 2012, closed on June 18, 2012, and had an archive date of July 18, 2012.

What project period did DOE envision for awards under this FOA?

Awards were envisioned as two- to three-year projects with decision points.

What does it mean that the projects have "decision points"?

It means continuation was dependent on performance and on submitting continuation applications at the end of each budget period.

What is the overall intended impact of the FOA?

The FOA is intended as a targeted push to close critical technology gaps in deep subsurface CO2 monitoring so carbon storage can meet strict permanence and verification expectations while becoming more cost-effective and ready for broader commercial deployment in the 2020 to 2030 timeframe.