Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§16295 Oil and gas research programs

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 149— - NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY AND PROGRAMS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IX— - RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT › Part Part F— - Fossil Energy › § 16295

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must run a research, testing, development, and commercial program on oil and gas. It covers things like exploration and production, gas hydrates, extending reservoir life, transport and distribution systems, ultraclean fuels, heavy oil/oil shale/tar sands, and related environmental work. The program must help U.S. petroleum producers, especially independent operators, by improving science and technology to reduce the economic harm from falling domestic oil and gas supplies. Within 2 years after August 8, 2005, and every 2 years after that, the Secretary of the Interior must tell Congress the latest estimates of oil and gas reserves, reserves growth, and undiscovered resources in Federal and State waters off Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, and Mississippi. The Secretary must also set up a national center or consortium using the Clean Power and Energy Research Consortium that existed on August 8, 2005. That center must work on six areas: gas turbine efficiency and reliability; cutting power-generation emissions; promoting energy conservation; using alternative and renewable fuels; advanced materials for exploration and harsh conditions; and energy education.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §16295

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary shall conduct a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of oil and gas, including—

(1)exploration and production;

(2)gas hydrates;

(3)reservoir life and extension;

(4)transportation and distribution infrastructure;

(5)ultraclean fuels;

(6)heavy oil, oil shale, and tar sands; and

(7)related environmental research.

(b)The objectives of this program shall include advancing the science and technology available to domestic petroleum producers, particularly independent operators, to minimize the economic dislocation caused by the decline of domestic supplies of oil and natural gas resources.

(c)Not later than 2 years after August 8, 2005, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with other appropriate Federal agencies, shall submit to Congress a report on the latest estimates of natural gas and oil reserves, reserves growth, and undiscovered resources in Federal and State waters off the coast of Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, and Mississippi.

(d)(1)The Secretary shall establish a national center or consortium of excellence in clean energy and power generation, using the resources of the Clean Power and Energy Research Consortium in existence on August 8, 2005, to address the critical dependence of the United States on energy and the need to reduce emissions.

(2)The center or consortium shall conduct a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application on integrating the following 6 focus areas:

(A)Efficiency and reliability of gas turbines for power generation.

(B)Reduction in emissions from power generation.

(C)Promotion of energy conservation issues.

(D)Effectively using alternative fuels and renewable energy.

(E)Development of advanced materials technology for oil and gas exploration and use in harsh environments.

(F)Education on energy and power generation issues.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 16295

Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73