Congratulations to Gene Theriault of BEN-CAP, LLC, Mills, Wyoming, on his USDA Phase II award!

Project Title: Encapsulated Bentonite for Abandoned Well Sealing
Award: $300,000
Abstract: Water. There is only so much of it. What can be done to mitigate groundwater contamination from drilling activities? More and more wells - whether they are for water, oil and gas, or coal-bed methane - are deeper than ever and are at risk from surface pollution and inter-aquifer mixing. Cement, long known as the only alternative, has been shown to have serious drawbacks. What can be done to ensure a high level of water quality for wildlife, agriculture, and humans around the world?

Sodium bentonite chips are recognized as a superior well sealing/plugging material for shallow wells. Its tremendous ability to swell when hydrated allows it to resist dislodgement pressures of hundreds of pounds per square inch. Additionally, it is inert, durable, self-healing if disturbed and more economical than Portland cement. But its swelling capacity also makes it difficult to deliver successfully to well depths much deeper than 500 feet.

Using materials/compounds discovered in Phase I, we are proposing research to develop an encapsulation prototype for bentonite chips to enable them to successfully reach greater plugging depths under field conditions.

This proposal builds on previous research that has demonstrated bentonite sealing and plugging characteristics.

Anticipated Results:
Phase I results will be used to develop and manufacture capsule prototypes that will economically transport bentonite chips to well depths over 500 feet. Prototypes must maintain bentonite's superior sealing characteristics in the field and be economical to ship and handle at the well site. These prototypes will greatly expand bentonite use as a low cost, safe, superior sealing solution for abandoned drill holes. Primary commercial benefactors are:

oil and gas exploration/drilling companies

coal-bed methane producers

water well drillers

landowners

and others who will no longer be required to use more expensive, less safe, well-sealing technologies.

Congratulations to Dr. Chang Yul Cha of CHA Corporation, Laramie, Wyoming, on his NIH Phase II award!

Project Title: Microwave Technology for Superfund Site Remediation
Award: $749,582
Abstract: The long-term goal of the proposed project is to develop and commercialize the mobile and stationary microwave units to regenerate carbon onsite and recover perchloroethylene (PERC) and other chemicals in exhaust air generated from dry cleaning and contaminated site remediation operations. The specific aim of the Phase II work is to build and field-demonstrate a commercial-scale portable microwave system that is capable of regenerating 50 kg/hr of saturated carbon to recover PERC and other chemicals desorbed during regeneration. The proposed Phase II project will demonstrate the cost benefit and environmental advantages of the microwave technology. Under Phase I, a field-ready prototype microwave reactor system was constructed and successfully operated for more than two months at the former McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento, California to demonstrate that the microwave technology is a cost-effective solution for recovering chemicals from soil vapors produced from the Superfund Site remediation operations. Under Phase II, the 50-kg/hr mobile microwave unit will be operated at two contaminated sites to recover fuels and chlorinated solvents in soil vapors and one medium size dry cleaning facility to recover and reuse PERC. Recovered PERC, other chlorinated solvents and fuels will be completely characterized and acceptable purification methods and their reuses will be established.

Congratulations to November's Phase 0 award winner!

With the recent award of the Federal and State Technology (FAST) grant to the Research Product Center (RPC), an intellectual property component has been added to the Phase 0 solicitation.

The Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency FY-05.1 SBIR solicitation originally scheduled for release on November 14, 2004 has been delayed slightly; HSARPA hopes to release the solicitation during the week of November 22.

It is not an uncommon occurrence in the SBIR arena that an agency incurs a delay in their anticipated release date. Although they do make strong efforts to stay on schedule, most agencies SBIR/STTR dates are subject to change and many announce their release date as "on or about" mm/dd/yy.