Petroleum Technology Transfer Council

The Petroleum Technology Transfer Council (PTTC) is an American national not-for-profit organization established in 1994 by producers, state organizations and the Department of Energy (DOE). While emphasizing the needs of independent oil and gas producers, PTTC’s activities also benefit industry consultants, service and supply companies, and other industry participants. To ensure timeliness and relevance of technical workshops and other activities, PTTC’s regional programs are developed under the guidance of local Producer Advisory Groups. Through these volunteers and the National Board of Directors, who are primarily domestic oil and natural gas operators, hundreds of producers and other industry participants nationwide contribute their time and expertise to the technology transfer program.

PTTC is involved with foster networking people, who impact domestic production.

Oil and Gas Producers rely upon the network for non-biased, straight forward technical information;

Provides Technology providers with an avenue to communicate developing or under-applied technologies to producers, consultants, and explorationists;

Consultants better equip themselves for serving producers, which further broadens application; and

The DOE uses the network to disseminate its R&D results and gather insights on domestic concerns and issues.

The relationships that are developed between the various entities and individuals have achieved technology information transfer through the PTTC’s programs and are reducing costs, while increasing profits, and ultimately increasing recovery in existing mature fields, expanding recovery from unconventional reservoirs, profitably developing ever-smaller domestic production and reserves, and increasing environmental stewardships.

Since 1994, the PTTC was funded primarily by the DOE with matching funds by the states and Oil and Gas industry. The PTTC's work has been a recognized force for transferring exploration andproduction technology to domestic U.S. producers. In 2006, the U.S. Congress declined to provide fiscal year 2007 funding for many elements of the DOE’s natural gas and oil R&D program, from which PTTC drew its federal funds. DOE ultimately provided $1 million of funding through September 2008 to help PTTC transition to a primarily industry-funded organization.

Due these evets, the Executive Committee of AAPG and the Board of PTTC both voted in late Septemberfor AAPG to assume management of the new organization. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council have announced that AAPG has assumed management of PTTC activities effective October 9, 2007.This includes fundraising, marketingand corporate operation of the PTTC Program. The vote followed a 90-day due diligence period.AAPG President Will Green, of Midland, Texas, said “PTTC has perhaps the most successful scientific technology transfer program for the independent U.S. producer and hasproven its value to the industry. The Association considers the program important for theindustry, the members of AAPG and the country.” Outgoing PTTC Chairman Gene Ames noted: “Strengths of PTTC will be the same – most universities will stay engaged, regional volunteer groups will be autonomous and work closely with the universities, cross-discipline diversity will be encouraged, and producers will comprise the majority of the volunteers. DOE remains a strong supporter and will strive toward some funding albeit at a lower level than historical.” Members of the new board of directors will be announced later. Green said PTTC’s primary tool for transferring E&P technology will continue to be regional workshops, which will be supplemented with a strong Web presence, newsletters and other personal outreach. Using these tools, PTTC will continue to connect producers, the service sector, consultants, researchers and others with the data and technology information needed to spur technology application.

Topics addressed by PTTC activities have covered the full spectrum of E&P operations,including exploration, unconventional resources, enhanced recovery processes, imagingtechnology, drilling and completion, hydraulic fracturing and many others.Serving industry locally through Regional Lead Organizations, typically at universities orgeological surveys, PTTC’s primary focus has been serving independents. This operation modelwill continue in the future.

References

* [http://www.pttc.org/index.html, PTTC Home Page] , Petroleum Technology Transfer Council
* [http://www.pttc.org/index.html, PTTC Newsletters] , Petroleum Technology Transfer Council

ee also

*Colorado School of Mines
*American Association of Petroleum Geologists
*Fred Meissner