Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002169
This opportunity is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), specifically the Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) through the DOE Golden Field Office. It is not a grant solicitation and not a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). In practical terms, DOE is not offering funding through this notice, does not expect to make awards (the listing shows expected awards as 0), and is not accepting applications. Instead, DOE is collecting market and technical input from organizations that may control, operate, or have knowledge of geothermal wells in the United States that are currently underutilized but could serve as testbeds for research and development.
The core goal is to identify "wells of opportunity" located in known U.S. geothermal resource areas that could support field research, especially research requiring downhole access. DOE wants to understand what wells exist, what their conditions are, and whether industry participants would be willing to partner with DOE to host testing of downhole tools, technologies, and methodologies that are still below commercial readiness (technology readiness levels below what is typically considered deployable in standard operations). Just as importantly, DOE is trying to learn what makes these partnerships difficult in real life, such as operational risk, liability, cost, scheduling impacts, data-sharing concerns, site access constraints, permitting, or any other barriers that prevent a well owner or operator from agreeing to experimental testing.
In terms of the kinds of wells DOE is most interested in, the highest priority is wells with temperatures above 175 degrees C and low permeability. That preference signals a focus on technically challenging geothermal conditions where new approaches for stimulation, characterization, and downhole measurements could be especially valuable. Even so, the notice also makes clear that other wells may be considered, which leaves room for respondents to propose wells that do not meet the top-tier criteria but still offer meaningful research value (for example, wells with different temperature regimes, different lithologies, varying wellbore conditions, or unique operational histories).
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning any type of entity can respond as long as they follow any clarifications provided in the full text of the RFI. This broad eligibility is consistent with the purpose of an RFI: DOE wants input from across the geothermal ecosystem, including well owners and operators, geothermal developers, service companies, tool manufacturers, national labs, universities, and other organizations that may have access to suitable wells or relevant insight into partnering obstacles.
Responses were required to be submitted electronically by email to GeothermalRFI@ee.doe.gov, with a deadline of 5:00 pm Eastern Time on October 18, 2019. The opportunity is identified as DE-FOA-0002169, was posted September 17, 2019, and is associated with CFDA number 81.087 under the energy funding activity category. The full RFI documentation was made available through the EERE Exchange website, which is DOE's standard portal for EERE-related solicitations and information requests.Apply for DE FOA 0002169
- The Department of Energy, Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Request for Information (RFI) - Identifying Wells of Opportunity for Critical Geothermal Field Research Applications" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.087.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 17, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 18, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this DOE opportunity?
This notice is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO), through the DOE Golden Field Office. Its purpose is to gather information from the market about geothermal wells in the United States that may be suitable for research testbeds.
2) Is this a grant, Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), or solicitation for funding?
No. The notice is explicitly an RFI, not a grant solicitation and not a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). DOE is not offering funding through this notice.
3) Will DOE make awards under this notice?
No. DOE does not expect to make awards. The listing indicates expected awards as 0.
4) Can organizations apply for funding or submit an application?
No. DOE is not accepting applications under this RFI. Instead, DOE is collecting information and feedback.
5) What is DOE trying to learn through this RFI?
DOE is seeking market and technical input to identify underutilized geothermal wells in known U.S. geothermal resource areas that could serve as "wells of opportunity" for field research, particularly research requiring downhole access. DOE also wants to understand real-world barriers to partnerships that would host testing of experimental downhole tools, technologies, and methodologies.
6) What does DOE mean by "wells of opportunity"?
"Wells of opportunity" refers to geothermal wells in the United States that are currently underutilized but could potentially be used as testbeds for research and development activities, especially those requiring access to the wellbore and downhole environment.
7) What types of organizations does DOE want to hear from?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning any type of entity may respond (subject to any clarifications in the full RFI text). DOE is seeking input across the geothermal ecosystem, including well owners/operators, geothermal developers, service companies, tool manufacturers, national laboratories, universities, and other organizations with access to suitable wells or insight into partnership challenges.
8) What kinds of wells are the highest priority for DOE?
The highest priority is wells with temperatures above 175 degrees C and low permeability. This indicates DOE is particularly interested in technically challenging geothermal conditions where improved stimulation, characterization, and downhole measurement approaches could be valuable.
9) Are only high-temperature, low-permeability wells relevant?
No. While those wells are the highest priority, the RFI indicates that other wells may be considered. Respondents may propose wells that do not meet the top-tier criteria if they still offer meaningful research value (for example, different temperature regimes, lithologies, wellbore conditions, or operational histories).
10) What kinds of research activities is DOE thinking about?
DOE is interested in field research that requires downhole access, including testing of downhole tools, technologies, and methodologies that are below commercial readiness (i.e., not yet typically deployable as part of standard operations).
11) Why is DOE focused on tools and technologies below commercial readiness?
The RFI emphasizes experimental testing of downhole tools and methodologies that are still below typical commercial readiness, suggesting DOE is trying to understand where real-world testbeds exist to help mature earlier-stage geothermal technologies.
12) What partnership issues does DOE want respondents to address?
DOE is specifically trying to learn what makes partnerships difficult in practice. Examples listed include operational risk, liability, cost, scheduling impacts, data-sharing concerns, site access constraints, permitting, and other barriers that could prevent a well owner/operator from agreeing to experimental testing.
13) Is this RFI limited to wells in specific locations?
DOE is seeking wells located in known U.S. geothermal resource areas.
14) How were responses supposed to be submitted?
Responses were required to be submitted electronically by email to GeothermalRFI@ee.doe.gov.
15) What was the submission deadline for responses?
The deadline was 5:00 pm Eastern Time on October 18, 2019.
16) What is the opportunity number / identifier?
The opportunity is identified as DE-FOA-0002169.
17) When was this RFI posted?
It was posted on September 17, 2019.
18) What CFDA number is associated with this notice?
The notice is associated with CFDA number 81.087.
19) What funding activity category is listed for this notice?
The notice is listed under the energy funding activity category.
20) Where was the full RFI documentation made available?
The full RFI documentation was made available through the EERE Exchange website, which is DOE's standard portal for EERE-related solicitations and information requests.
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