Improved Oil and Gas Recovery and Produced Water Management Technologies
🏛 National Energy Technology Laboratory
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 15, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for domestic organizations pursuing research and development in oil and gas recovery and produced water management technologies.
Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations, nonprofit organizations, state and local government entities, and Indian Tribes. Projects must focus on improving recovery efficiency from unconventional reservoirs or advancing water treatment technologies for produced water.
The grant supports field testing, validation, and rapid deployment of novel technologies. Cost sharing is required from applicants.
⚖️ Cost sharing / matching required — applicants must contribute their own funds.
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Program description
Modification 000001: Issued to change the Full Application date; modified NOFO Part 1. No other changes have been. Please see the NOFO Part 1 for the full description of the modification.
This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will seek proposals for specific research and development (R&D) projects to improve recovery efficiency from unconventional oil and natural gas reservoirs and to advance technologies for the treatment of flowback and produced water from oil and natural gas production operations. Despite increasing energy for demand, recovery efficiency for oil and natural gas from unconventional reservoirs can average less than 10 percent. This NOFO will enable rapid field deployment of a variety of novel technologies and processes related to improving primary and enhanced recovery with the goal of significantly improving resource recovery and accelerating industry uptake.
This NOFO will also support the field testing and validation of water treatment technologies of produced water from oil and natural gas production operations to avoid deep well injection and potential issues with induced seismicity and interaction with underground sources of drinking water.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative (technical proposal)
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Cost Share Documentation
- Letters of Commitment (industry partners/subrecipients)
Program contact
- 👤 National Energy Technology Laboratory
- 📧 jessica.sartor@netl.doe.gov
- 📞 304-285-4298
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 81.089 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$299,999,930
-
$251,005,250
-
$209,999,996
-
$134,151,343
-
$126,684,542
-
$75,109,803
-
$64,327,580
-
$62,077,501
-
$57,762,896
-
$55,835,381
Top States by Funding
- IL 18 awards $619.9M
- CO 8 awards $454.8M
- TX 11 awards $392.0M
- AL 4 awards $319.6M
- ND 9 awards $173.2M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 81.089). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $1,100,000,000 | |
| 2025 | $966,340,000 | |
| 2026 est. | $496,500,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Colleges, universities, for-profit companies, nonprofits, state and local governments, and Indian Tribes can apply. The organization must be domestic and pursue eligible R&D activities.
What types of projects are funded?
Projects improving recovery from unconventional oil and natural gas reservoirs are eligible. Water treatment technologies that reduce reliance on deep well injection are also supported.
Is cost sharing required?
Yes, applicants must provide cost sharing. The amount will depend on the specific proposal and funding level.
What is the application deadline?
The full application deadline is September 8, 2026. Check the NOFO for any Letter of Intent requirements or earlier milestones.
What funding amounts are available?
Awards typically range from $1 million to $150 million, depending on project scope and complexity. The total funding pool is $150 million.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Emphasize field deployment readiness. Reviewers prioritize projects that can rapidly move from lab to real-world application in oil and gas operations.
- Address both recovery improvement AND environmental benefit. Show how your technology increases resource extraction while managing produced water responsibly.
- Include industry partnerships. Collaboration with oil and gas operators strengthens competitiveness and demonstrates pathway to adoption.
- Quantify recovery gains and water treatment metrics. Use specific percentages or volumes to make the case for impact over the current baseline.
- Explain cost-share sources upfront. Clearly identify partners, funding mechanisms, and in-kind contributions to meet cost-sharing requirements.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Proposing laboratory-only research without a clear deployment strategy. Reviewers expect feasibility for field testing within the award period. Not addressing environmental or seismic concerns. Failing to articulate water management benefits alongside recovery gains weakens the pitch. Vague or insufficient cost-share commitments. Cost sharing must be realistic and from documented, committed sources.
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