Tech Research Partnership to Advance Innovation in Oil, Gas

This technology is viewed as good sound science and is more likely to be quickly accepted by regulators. The fact that RPSEA does not own or develop intellectual property – unlike universities and service companies – also is attractive to the oil and gas industry.

RPSEA was born out of a roadmapping exercise conducted in 2001 by DOE. DOE had always conducted energy research, but was not effective at engaging with industry, and was weak in technology transfer. Williams, who worked at DOE under the Bush 41 administration, said that DOE lacked access to subject matter experts in some areas, and a process didn’t exist to facilitate that access. To address these issues, Williams and other participants in the road-mapping exercise decided to form RPSEA.

HBW works with a wide range of oil and gas companies, including supermajors, independents, pipeline and liquefied natural gas project owners, as well as downstream, to navigate state and federal regulations that impact their businesses.

“Obviously, there is a cost associated with more stringent regulations,” said Belcher. “The industry is constantly facing those pressures.”

By finding the right technologies and processes, and working with regulators to develop realistic laws, companies can meet regulations in a cost-effective manner.