Methane Hydrate Research and Development Amendments Act of 2015
Summary
Methane Hydrate Research and Development Amendments Act of 2015
This bill amends the Methane Hydrate Research and Development Act of 2000 to revise and reauthorize the Department of Energy's (DOE) program of methane hydrate research and development.
In carrying out the program, DOE may award grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, institutions that: (1) drill a test well and perform a long-term hydrate production test on land in the U.S. Arctic region within 4 years, (2) drill a test well and perform a long-term hydrate production test in a marine environment within 10 years, or (3) drill a full-scale production test well at a location to be determined by DOE.
DOE must conduct a long-term environmental monitoring program to study the effects of production from methane hydrate reservoirs.
