Bilateral Agreements

Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Energy of the U.S. and the Department of Natural Resources Canada on Collaboration in Energy Research and Development

MORE INFO EIA Country Analysis Brief on Canada [opens new window]

This MOU establish a framework for collaboration between the U.S. and Canada in energy R&D activities. Collaboration may include but is not limited to energy conservation and energy efficiency, renewable energy technologies, alternative transportation fuels, fossil energy, and environmental protection and health research related to energy technologies.

Weyburn CO2 Monitoring and Storage Project

MORE INFO Read September 13, 2004 Techline announcing Weyburn Phase II

This project is under the fossil energy implementing arrangement between DOE/FE and the Department of Natural Resources of Canada (NRCan). The project seeks to expand the knowledge base of the capacity, transport, rate and storage integrity of carbon dioxide (CO2) injected into geological formations, associated with a commercial enhanced oil recovery operation. The Annex has enhanced collaboration in the field of greenhouse gas mitigation between teams of researchers drawn from institutions and companies in the United States, Canada, Japan and Europe; has encouraged increased oil production in the Williston Basin through use of enhanced oil recovery; has reduced costs of synthetic natural gas production from the Great Plains Synfuels Plants located at Beulah, ND; and will capture and store an estimate 20 million tons of CO2 over the total lifespan of the project.

Phase II of the project, which is being developed, will:

• Complete the research necessary to create "Best Practices Manual for Development and Operation of CO2 Geological Storage Projects;"
• Build upon the Phase I datasets to provide a comprehensve dataset that will serve as the international standard  of comparison for CO2 storage projects; and
• Enhance the risk assessment model and process so it can be the international standard for CO2 projects.

Bilateral Discussions with Canada

Science and technology meetings are held every year with the location alternating between the U.S. and Canada. The Department of Energy participates together with the State Department in the Energy Consultative Mechanism, a U.S.-Canada bilateral meeting held every summer to discuss energy issues of mutual interest. In November 2004, a workshop on oil sands and fuel chemistry was held between the U.S. and Canada in Tulsa, Oklahoma.