The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Gulf Research Program (GRP) is committed to enhancing safety throughout the lifecycle of offshore energy production in and along the Gulf of America. Through this new funding opportunity, the GRP aims to improve understanding and develop solutions for agencies and decision-makers across the Gulf region to address challenges associated with abandoned oil and gas infrastructure, particularly in State, Coastal, and/or Bay waters.

The GRP is seeking applications for research projects that will improve regional understanding of orphaned and idled wells in State, Coastal, and/or Bay waters of the Gulf Coast. In particular, the GRP is seeking to support research projects that contribute to the following objectives: 1) develop mapping and risk-assessment tools to identify and visualize well locations as well as evaluate risks (e.g., navigational, environmental, public health) posed by such structures due to time-related aging and changing environmental conditions (e.g., sea level rise) and 2) develop decision-support tools based on cross-state analyses of how different states manage such structures. Applicants may propose to work in one of three focus areas: 1) Mapping and Risk-Assessment in Louisiana, 2) Mapping and Risk-Assessment in Texas, and 3) Cross-State Policy Analysis Decision-Support Tools. This funding opportunity will align grantees with other GRP efforts focused on legacy offshore oil and gas infrastructure, sea level variation and rise, and/or other fitting programs.