AGENDA: Best Management Practices (BMPs): What? How? And Why?

The Environmentally Friendly Drilling Systems (EFD) Program, managed by the Houston Advanced Research Center, works to identify, develop and transfer critical, cost effective, new technologies that can provide policy makers and industry with the ability to develop natural gas reserves in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. Funding for the EFD Program is through a grant from the Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America, established under the 2005 Energy Act. Within the EFD Program, some projects focus on technologies for developing energy sources in environmentally sensitive areas; others (like the NRLC’s BMP Project) seek ways to reduce the environmental footprint in all types of environments. The EFD Program currently provides the majority of funding for the Intermountain Oil and Gas BMP project. The EFD Program holds quarterly workshops to share ideas among the program partners, sponsors, and with the broader community. The NRLC hosted the EFD\u27s quarterly meeting in a workshop on May 26, 2011 at the Wolf Law Building on the University of Colorado campus. With presentations from EFD project researchers and perspectives invited from all participants, the May, 2011 EFD workshop explored the value of different methods for incorporating BMPs into a development as well as the benefits and cost of implementing BMPs. See the NRLC\u27s Intermountain Oil and Gas BMP Project for more information on BMPs and how they can be implemented in oil and gas development

AGENDA: Best Management Practices (BMPs): What? How? And Why?

The Environmentally Friendly Drilling Systems (EFD) Program, managed by the Houston Advanced Research Center, works to identify, develop and transfer critical, cost effective, new technologies that can provide policy makers and industry with the ability to develop natural gas reserves in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. Funding for the EFD Program is through a grant from the Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America, established under the 2005 Energy Act. Within the EFD Program, some projects focus on technologies for developing energy sources in environmentally sensitive areas; others (like the NRLC’s BMP Project) seek ways to reduce the environmental footprint in all types of environments. The EFD Program currently provides the majority of funding for the Intermountain Oil and Gas BMP project. The EFD Program holds quarterly workshops to share ideas among the program partners, sponsors, and with the broader community. The NRLC hosted the EFD\u27s quarterly meeting in a workshop on May 26, 2011 at the Wolf Law Building on the University of Colorado campus. With presentations from EFD project researchers and perspectives invited from all participants, the May, 2011 EFD workshop explored the value of different methods for incorporating BMPs into a development as well as the benefits and cost of implementing BMPs. See the NRLC\u27s Intermountain Oil and Gas BMP Project for more information on BMPs and how they can be implemented in oil and gas development

AGENDA: Opportunities and Obstacles to Reducing the Environmental Footprint of Natural Gas Development in the Uintah Basin

A public workshop to discuss “Opportunities and Constraints to Reducing the Environmental Footprint of Natural Gas Development” was held in Vernal, Utah on October 14, 2010 at the Vernal campus of Utah State University. The workshop was sponsored by Utah State University, The Bingham Energy Research Center; The University of Colorado Natural Resources Law Center; and the Houston Advanced Research Center, Environmentally Friendly Drilling Program. The meeting included presentations and panel discussions on: Trends and environmental issues related to natural gas development Examples of environmental innovations being used in the Uintah Basin Examples of innovation & tools from outside the Uintah Basin Regulations and environmental policies: friend or foe? A panel discussion with government leaders The 145 attendees represented a range of regional and local energy industry actors, representatives from local, state, tribal, and federal government agencies, university scientists, and local community residents

AGENDA: Opportunities and Obstacles to Reducing the Environmental Footprint of Natural Gas Development in the Uintah Basin

A public workshop to discuss “Opportunities and Constraints to Reducing the Environmental Footprint of Natural Gas Development” was held in Vernal, Utah on October 14, 2010 at the Vernal campus of Utah State University. The workshop was sponsored by Utah State University, The Bingham Energy Research Center; The University of Colorado Natural Resources Law Center; and the Houston Advanced Research Center, Environmentally Friendly Drilling Program. The meeting included presentations and panel discussions on: Trends and environmental issues related to natural gas development Examples of environmental innovations being used in the Uintah Basin Examples of innovation & tools from outside the Uintah Basin Regulations and environmental policies: friend or foe? A panel discussion with government leaders The 145 attendees represented a range of regional and local energy industry actors, representatives from local, state, tribal, and federal government agencies, university scientists, and local community residents

Charge neutralization in vacuum for non-conducting and isolated objects using directed low-energy electron and ion beams

We propose using ions and electrons of energy 1 eV–10 eV for neutralizing the charges on the non-conducting or isolated surfaces of high-sensitivity experiments. The mirror surfaces of the test masses of the laser interferometer gravitational observatory are used as an example of the implementation of this method. By alternatively directing beams of positive and negative charges towards the mirror surfaces, we ensure the neutralization of the total charge as well as the equalization of the surface charge distribution to within a few eV of the potential of the ground reference of the vacuum system. This method is compatible with operation in high vacuum, does not require measuring the potential of the mirrors and is expected not to damage sensitive optical surfaces