The New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology has received aplum from a favorite son, new Energy Secretary Bill Richardson, whoannounced the award of a $1.5 million DOE contract to determine thebest way to boost gas production from some of New Mexico’s mostdifficult geologic formations.

Richardson, a longtime congressman from New Mexico, traveled toSanta Fe Monday, six weeks after he took over his new job, toannounce the award which will go the university’s Department ofPetroleum and Chemical Engineering in Socorro, NM. Using data onproducing wells and seismic tests, provided by producers, NewMexico Tech will detect and map natural gas fractures in dense rockformations in the state. Researchers will develop maps of thebasin’s reservoirs and fracture systems, showing where the bestprospects might exist for new wells, for targeted in-fill drilling,and for production from tight gas reservoirs. The project will gofor 18 months and if successful, will be continued with a secondphase concentrating on another gas basin for 30 months.

©Copyright 1998 Intelligence Press Inc. All rights reserved. Thepreceding news report may not be republished or redistributed, inwhole or in part, in any form, without prior written consent ofIntelligence Press,Inc.