Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Procurement Operations Branch, MS2500, 381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817

A -- WHITE PAPERS SOUGHT FOR PROPOSED RESEARCH PROJECTS TO BE CONDUCTED IN SUPPORT OF THE TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT AND RESEARCH (TA&R) PROGRAM SOL 1435-01-98-RP-30881 DUE 100797 POC Jane M. Carlson, Contracting Officer, (703) 787-1364 or Dotty Quinn, Procurement Technician, (703) 787-1365 E-MAIL: Contracting Officer, jane.carlson@mms.gov. WHITE PAPERS SOUGHT FOR PROPOSED RESEARCH PROJECTS TO BE CONDUCTED IN SUPPORT OF THE TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT AND RESEARCH (TA&R) PROGRAM. This announcement is issued to solicit White Papers -- no more than 5 pages in length for specific areas of interest to the Minerals Management Service (MMS) TA&R Program to include both Oil-Spill Response and Operational Safety/Pollution Prevention research. The areas of interest are as follows: (1) Deepwater operations to include drilling and operational safety issues, structural and pipeline integrity, and the use of composite materials or other advance material in the offshore environment; (2) Aging infrastructure to include integrity assessment and repair methodologies for damage to older platforms and pipelines, and corrosion control and/or remediation measures for older platforms and pipelines; (3) Platform Abandonment and removal issues to include explosive and nonexplosive techniques, effect of explosions on cement plugs, as well as means to mitigate energy release into the water column; (4) Operational issues to include assessment of Automated Remote Terminal Units (RTU's); sustained casing pressures to include detection/locating sources and mitigation techniques; assessment of net guard design criteria for underwater casing stubs and subsea wellheads; assessment of lateral wells to include problems associated with difference in potential from one well bore to the other, cementing, etc.; assessment of well intervention using coiled tubing through drill pipe; assessment of the analysis, design and remediation measure for piping and flowlines operating in conditions of continuous vibration from a compressor, turbine generator on other sources; an assessment of "synthetic muds" relative to "water based muds" in terms of well control, distribution and size of cuttings, disposal, etc.; pipeline leak detection and inspection methods; assessment of risk and reliability issues relative to safety of operations; (5) Audit protocol development for Safety Management Systems; and (6) Oil-spill mitigation measures to include both cleanup and containment technologies, remote sensing and tracking of subsea oil and the modeling of subsea oil dispersion during deepwater blowouts. Background: In the past, research sponsored by MMS through the TA&R Program was motivated by the need to acquire basic engineering requirements necessary to oversee the orderly development of offshore oil and gas operations. However, the emphasis on a Safety and Environmental Management Program (SEMP), performance-based regulations, and a continuing need to assure the public that offshore operations are conducted in a safe manner without harm to the environment have provided new goals and directions for research initiatives. The MMS is interested in research efforts relative to the subject areas noted above. As a result of white papers, selected proposals will be sought and evaluated for funding under the direction of the TA&R Program, and only efforts relevant to the scientific/technical issues listed above and enumerated on below will be considered. The MMS anticipates a $1,000,000 total budget for these projects and a one-quarter to two-person year level of effort for each project selected. Offerors should bear this in mind when responding to this request for white papers. Multiyear funding of projects is acceptable. Note that cost estimates are not to be included. The white papers will be evaluated only on technical merits. If selected, a proposal will be requested and the costs evaluated at that time. Projects will be selected for funding from all or part of the following issues depending on the interest and scope of white papers received. Deep-water facilities that are being develop are based on totally new concepts, from both an operational viewpoint as well as to the type on structure employed, with which very little, if any past experience exists to make technical or regulatory decision. The TA&R Program seeks to support deep-water research initiatives to ensure that relevant technical issues are adequately addressed for future operational decisions, to include concerns relative to subsea completions, pipeline inspection and monitoring, control of hydrates and paraffins, consideration of composite materials applications, and structural integrity issues. Also, as the offshore infrastructure continues to age with platforms, and pipelines functioning years beyond their design life, the Program seeks to promote appropriate research to assess and maintain the integrity of these facilities, to include corrosion control and remediation measures. A continuing effort will be put forth to support risk and reliability issues and other research initiatives to improve and assist SEMP. An assessment and development of audit protocols to entail a survey of current approaches to audit management system as opposed to conducting compliance audits is sought. The survey should differentiate between the various types of audit and identify best practices. This information would be used to develop audit protocols are a draft safety management system and to field test the procedure with a volunteer OCS operating company. The abandonment of offshore facilities has received considerable interest from the industry and public in general. As a follow-up to recent MMS sponsored workshops, the TA&R Program is interested in a number of decommissioning issues to include explosives versus nonexplosives techniques to cut piles, caissons, and conductors; effects of explosives on cement plugs; advanced explosive techniques; energy mitigation measures; pipeline abandonment procedures; fish and turtle scare devices; and assessment of the effectiveness of cleanup operations. Typical operational issues for which white papers are solicited are assessment of problems associated with lateral wells, particularly flow situations from one well bore to the other, and other concerns to include cementing of the well bores and/or fracturing of the surrounding formation; assessment and recommendations for platform piping systems connected to sources of continuous vibration; assessment of "synthetic muds" relative to "water based muds." The topic should be explored from an "operations/engineering" viewpoint, especially for deep-water drilling activities as opposed to an "environmental" viewpoint, to include pros and cons relative to temperature effects, size and distribution of cuttings, bore stability, etc. Also topics will be considered on performance and integrity of cementing operations; allowable leakage rates for safety components; safety issues relative to the use of coiled tubing; and an assessment of current RTU technology. The technology and systems used to operate RTU's are constantly evolving and their use is rapidly expanding. White papers are sought on topics relative to the assessment of their integrity and guidelines for future use. Topics relative to operational safety aspects of coiled tubing are also of interest, to include well intervention using coiled tubing through drill pipe. The MMS is also interested in evaluating and developing innovative oil-spill containment and recovery technologies. In particular, MMS is looking for technologies that will facilitate the containment and recovery of spilled oil in the open ocean, to include modeling, sensing, and tracking of subsea oil from deepwater blowouts. The MMS seeks to test and evaluate these technologies at the Oil and Hazardous Materials Simulated Environmental Test Tank (Ohmsett) facility in Leonardo, New Jersey, using standard test protocols. These test protocols include testing containment booms and skimmers for response to wave stress and wave conformation. The Program is also interested in seeking technologies that will enhance or facilitate the in situ burning of spilled oil in the marine environment. This includes fire-resistant booms, igniters, smoke-reduction agents, and tracking of burn residue. As part of or in conjunction with these efforts, MMS is soliciting interest in the testing of oil-spill containment/clean-up equipment or techniques, remote sensing devices, or to conduct training in oil-spill response at Ohmsett. The facility is available on a reimbursable basis to both private and public sectors as a research center where full-scale equipment can be tested under controlled condition with oil, in varying wave conditions. Responses will be accepted through October 7, 1997. White papers must reference the area of interest under which it is to be considered and an original and ten copies submitted to the above address. White papers should define the proposed research effort to include the level of effort but not cost. The MMS will evaluate the responses, and those deemed to have merit will be furnished information to assist in the preparation of a complete proposal. This synopsis constitutes an RFP but does not constitute commitment by the Government to award nor does it restrict the Government as to the ultimate acquisition approach. The Government will solicit those firms meeting the screening criteria in this synopsis. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation or the information submitted. Responses shall be evaluated on the following criteria in order of their importance: (1) Innovative or creative approaches or solutions; (2) feasibility of the approach or solution; (3) the offeror's understanding of the technical issues being presented for consideration; (4) the offeror's ability to implement the proposed approach as demonstrated by adequate detailed analysis and supported by specific accomplishments in the technical field to be studies; (5) the availability of qualified personnel with the requisite expertise to accomplish the study as proposed; (6) the participation of industry or other groups in the research effort; and (7) the offeror's record of past performance. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted. Inquiries should be sent to the above office. A separate white paper shall be submitted for each study the offeror wishes to propose. The white papers shall identify clearly the offeror's organization, point of contact, and phone numbers as well as addresses. (0246)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0009 19970905\A-0009.SOL)