Petroleum Research Atlantic Canada

1
Petroleum Research Atlantic Canada

• Call 7
• Targeted Call for Research Proposals

2
What is PRAC?

• Successor to ACPI (1999)
• Unique public-private partnership for the
  Atlantic Region
• federally incorporated (2002) not-for-profit
  organization
• member-based (industry, academia and government)
• Mandated to add significant value to Atlantic
  Canada by building capacity and scale of
  petroleum-related research and development
• Provide a neutral arms-length forum
• encourage discussion among members and
  stakeholders to fulfill mandate on a regional
  basis

3
Funding Streams

• Targeted Call for Research (TCR) Projects
• grants driven by measurable outcomes (1 to 3
  years)
• PRAC/NSERC CRD Program matching funds,
  collaborative evaluation
• requires leveraging and industry support
• Transfer to Usability (TTU) Projects
• directed more toward applied research (i.e.
  proof of concept, prototype development)
• Joint Industry Projects (JIPs)
• assembly of partners to address specific
  industry/research priorities
• Managed Projects/Contract Research

4
Targeted Calls for Research

• PRAC intends to hold more than one call each year
• Each call will be focused on one overarching
  priority
• Calls will be linked to Communities of Interest
  being established in the region
• Researchers are encouraged to get together
  amongst themselves as well as with industry to
  determine what to build research programs around
  (and how)

5
Call 7Targeted Call for Research (TCR)

• Purpose
• To enhance knowledge and understanding in an area
  of high priority to Atlantic Canadas offshore
  petroleum industry
• Overarching Priority
• Offshore Geoscience and Reservoir Engineering
• Focus
• Consistent with needs identified by the RD
  Sub-committee of the AERT, the CAPP Operators
  Committee and, therefore, PRACs membership

6
Priority Research

• Five research themes have been identified within
  this category.
• These are the subjects around which research
  projects must be focused
• Evaluation of the distribution and quality of
  reservoir rocks in the shelf and deepwater slope
  offshore Atlantic Canada
• Geophysical imaging, characterization and
  validation of lithologies, fluids and pressures
  within Atlantic Canada basins
• Characterization, monitoring and enhancement of
  reservoir performance
• Geoscience study and regional compilation of
  lesser known sedimentary basins with petroleum
  potential
• Study of shelf and slope geo-hazards

7
Application Process

• Two methods of applying
• PRAC/NSERC CRD
• open to NSERC-eligible researchers
• provides for matching funds from NSERC
• both organizations collaborate on proposal
  evaluation
• each accepts the other as a funding partner
• reduces evaluation time
• requires submission of PRACs FREE FORM Proposal
  as well as NSERC Forms 100 and 101 (all to be
  submitted directly to PRAC)
• PRAC only
• open to researchers who are not NSERC-eligible or
  who choose not to apply to NSERC for matching
  funds
• requires submission of PRACs FULL FORM Proposal

8
Application Process (continued)

• ALL INFORMATION REGARDING THE SUBMISSION
  (INCLUDING PROPOSAL FORMS) AND EVALUATION PROCESS
  IS AVAILABLE ON PRACs WEB SITE

www.pr-ac.ca (URL for Call 7
http//www.pr-ac.ca/prac_7231.html (or in
www.pr-ac.ca, go to Research, then Research
Grants, then Call 7) NOTE Notification of
future calls will first go out to those who are
registered in the Energy RD Database (www.ener
gyresearch.ca)
9
Application Process (continued)
Workflow Diagram (part 1)
10
Application Process (continued)
Workflow Diagram (part 2)
11
Application Process (continued)
Workflow Diagram (part 3)
12
Application Process (continued)
Key points to remember

• Letter of Intent (LOI) must be submitted to PRAC
• Research must be relevant to a Call theme(s)
• Research must meet PRACs criteria including
• maximize leveraging potential
• maximize collaborations with other research
  groups
• identify how it will contribute or be applied to
  hydrocarbon activities in Atlantic Canada
• must be scientifically and/or technically sound,
  innovative and address issues of relevance to
  Atlantic Canadas offshore petroleum industry
• other criteria apply (see the Call 7 section of
  PRACs web site)
• Proposals must be accompanied by a letter(s) of
  endorsement from at least one of PRACs industry
  members (find list at http//www.pr-ac.ca/prac_424
  8.html, or Members under About PRAC)
• Proposals must be complete and received by due
  date

This is not a request for additional funds, but
rather an indication that the company feels the
research is of interest to them and/or the
Atlantic Canada petroleum industry
13
Available Funding

• PRAC has allocated 600,000 to fund various
  research projects resulting from this Targeted
  Call for Research proposals

• project duration can be from one to three years
• funding can range to a maximum of 50,000 per
  year (150,000 total)
• funds must be leveraged (cash and in-kind),
  preferably at a ratio of at least three or four
  to one

14
Role of the Evaluation Committees

• Proposal Evaluation Committee (PEC)
• comprised of members with technical expertise in
  the subject matter
• evaluates proposals primarily on their technical
  and scientific merit
• recommends which proposals should go forward for
  further review
• may request clarification of certain points
• has the authority to reject proposals
• does not make funding decisions
• Research Selection Committee (RSC)
• comprised of members involved with strategic
  research planning
• evaluates proposals based on relevance to themes
  of the Call as well as importance to the Atlantic
  Canada petroleum industry
• factors in PEC and External Review comments
• ranks proposals relative to one another
• may request clarification of certain points
• has the authority to reject proposals
• recommends which proposals should be funded, and
  by how much
• does not give final approval of funding

15
Key Dates to Remember

• November 18, 2005 Letters of Intent Due
• January 31, 2006 Proposals Due
• April 28, 2006 (approx.) Board Decision
• May 10th, 2006 (approx.) Decision Announced

16
Call Timeline
17
Questions?