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Published: 2009
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The Petroleum Technology Transfer Council (PTTC) was established by domestic crude oil and natural gas producers, working in conjunction with the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and selected universities, in 1994 as a national not-for-profit organization. Its goal is to transfer Exploration and Production (E & P) technology to the domestic upstream petroleum industry, in particular to the small independent operators. PTTC connects producers, technology providers and innovators, academia, and university/industry/government research and development (R & D) groups. From inception PTTC has received federal funding through DOE's oil and natural gas program managed by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). With higher funding available in its early years, PTTC was able to deliver well more than 100 workshops per year, drawing 6,000 or more attendees per year. Facing the reality of little or no federal funding in the 2006-2007 time frame, PTTC and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) worked together for PTTC to become a subsidiary organization of AAPG. This change brings additional organizational and financial resources to bear for PTTC's benefit. PTTC has now been 'powered by AAPG' for two full fiscal years. There is a clear sense that PTTC has stabilized and is strengthening its regional workshop and national technology transfer programs and is becoming more entrepreneurial in exploring technology transfer opportunities beyond its primary DOE contract. Quantitative accomplishments: PTTC has maintained its unique structure of a national organization working through Regional Lead Organizations (RLOs) to deliver local, affordable workshops. During the contract period PTTC consolidated from 10 to six regions efficiency and alignment with AAPG sections. The number of workshops delivered by its RLOs during the contract period is shown below. Combined attendance over the period was approximately 32,000, 70% of whom were repeat attendees. Participant feedback established that 40% of them said they had applied a technology they learned of through PTTC. Central/Eastern Gulf Univ. of Alabama, LSU Center for Energy Studies 77 Eastern West Virginia University, Illinois Geological Survey, W. Michigan Univ. 99 Midcontinent University of Kansas, University of Tulsa, Okla. Geological Survey (past) 123 Rocky Mountains Colorado School of Mines 147 Texas/SE New Mexico Bureau of Economic Geology, U. of Texas at Austin 85 West Coast Conservation Committee of California O & G Producers, Univ. So. Cal. (past) 54 At the national level HQ went from an office in Houston to a virtual office in the Tulsa, Okla. area with AAPG providing any physical assets required. There are no employees, rather several full time and several part time contractors. Since inception, PTTC has produced quarterly and mailed the 16-page Network News newsletter. It highlights new advances in technology and has a circulation of 19,000. It also produces the Tech Connections Column in The American Oil & Gas Reporter, with a circulation of 13,000. On an approximate three-week frequency, the electronic Email Tech Alert goes out to 9,000 readers. The national staff also maintains a central website with information of national interest and individual sections for each of the six regions. The national organization also provides legal and accounting services, coordinates the RLO activities, exhibits at at least major national and other meetings, supports the volunteer Board as it provides strategic direction, and is working to restore the Producer Advisory Groups to bolster the regional presence. Qualitative Value: Three qualitative factors confirm PTTC's value to the domestic O & G producing industry. First, AAPG was willing to step in and rescue PTTC, believing it was of significant interest to its domestic membership and of potential value internationally. Second, through a period of turmoil and now with participant fees dramatically increased, industry participants 'keep coming back' to workshop activities. Third, technology developers seek out PTTC for exposure for their developing technologies, and many industry organizations/groups seek out PTTC for promotion of their meetings or events. A quantitative impact analysis performed in 2005 also attributed measurable reserves from PTTC's work.
