Funding opportunity for research concerning crude oil degradation in the subsurface, at National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Research Site in Bemidji, Minnesota after June 1, 2025
The USGS Upper Midwest Water Science Center is offering a funding opportunity for research concerning crude oil degradation in the subsurface.
The Steering Committee of the National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Research Site (Site) in Bemidji, Minnesota is soliciting proposals for projects to be conducted after June 1, 2025.
The primary research priority is improving the understanding of the mobilization, attenuation, transport, and fate of crude oil in the subsurface. Proposals for new projects led by academic institutions or private industry are encouraged, and proposals for continuing studies will also be considered. As you develop your proposal, please consult with us, industry, academic, and/or trade organizations and review previous research that has been conducted at the site.
Background information about the Site and published data are available at: https://mn.water.usgs.gov/projects/bemidji/.
As you develop your ideas for research at the Site, you can consult with the Site Research Coordinator, Barbara Bekins (babekins@usgs.gov) or the Site Manager, Jared Trost (jtrost@usgs.gov). The complete request for proposal (RFP) announcement, research priorities, instructions, and proposal templates are available here: https://mn.water.usgs.gov/projects/bemidji/RFP/2025Bemidji_RFP.zip
Proposals up to 15,000 dollars will be considered; typically, research grants are awarded in the 2,000 to 8,000 dollar range. Proposals may be for projects 1 to 2 years in duration, or for longer term projects that can leverage the available infrastructure and resources at the site. Field work for field-based projects typically occurs during the annual summer field session at the Site, which is tentatively scheduled for July 7-19, 2025. Proposals must be submitted to Jared Trost, the Site Manager, at jtrost@usgs.gov, by 11:59 pm (Central Time) on January 31, 2025. If you have questions, please contact Jared via email or phone, 763-614-8126.
About the site: (https://mn.water.usgs.gov/projects/bemidji/)
The Site is where a crude oil spill occurred in 1979 when a pipeline transporting crude oil broke. After cleanup efforts were completed in 1980, about 400,000 liters of oil remained in the unsaturated zone and near the water table. This continues to be a source of contaminants to a shallow outwash aquifer. The oil is moving as a separate fluid phase, as dissolved petroleum constituents in ground water, and as vapors in the unsaturated zone. Native microbes are converting the petroleum derivatives into carbon dioxide, methane, and other biodegradation products. The USGS began research at the site in 1983 and the USGS continues to collaborate with and lead a multi-disciplinary team of scientists from academic institutions, industry, and regulatory agencies. The Site has over 200 groundwater and vapor monitoring wells available for sampling and abundant published historic data to inform your research.
