The Ben Franklin Shale Gas Innovation and Commercialization Center announced that this year’s Fifth Annual Shale Gas Innovation Contest will award a total of $80,000 in cash prizes.

The prize money will be shared among the four best shale-energy oriented innovations, new product ideas, or service concepts that are either in the development stage or recently launched.

Entries are due February 1.

Researchers, entrepreneurs, or small businesses in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, who are focused on developing a new product or service for the shale energy space are welcome to apply.

“The SGICC would like to recognize the generous support of the Benedum Foundation for again helping to extend the contest to include West Virginia.” – Bill Hall, SGICC Director

In addition to the cash prizes, successful applicants will gain exposure to investors, potential partners, and industry sponsors.

The Final’s Event, already scheduled to take place on May 18th, 2016 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Southpointe, PA, will include a poster session to highlight some of the most promising technologies under development at regional universities and research centers.

This Fifth Annual Shale Gas Innovation Contest’s GOLD Sponsor is Ben Franklin Technology Partners.

Industry sponsors include: AquaTech, Chevron Technology Ventures, EQT Corporation, First National Bank, GE Oil & Gas, Inflection Energy, LPR Energy, LPR Land Services, the Marcellus Shale Coalition, PPG Industries, Praxair, Steptoe & Johnson PLLC, and Williams.

Non-profit sponsors include: Carnegie Mellon University’s Scott Institute for Energy Innovation, and Penn State University’s Institute for Natural Gas Research.

Bill Hall, Director of the SGICC commented, “The challenging pricing environment that the industry is facing, the ever-increasing emphasis on environmental compliance, and gaining the social license to operate across the Marcellus and Utica Shale Region, are factors that continue to make new innovations all the more important. The rapid pace of innovation adoption across the shale energy plays in this area has been amazing! Through this contest, SGICC shines a light on the best new innovations being developed in our region.”

Any idea or already commercialized product or service related to the shale energy space is eligible.

Examples include well pad EH&S products/services, novel materials or chemicals - to enhance performance, prevent corrosion, or improve product yield - remote site monitoring technologies, natural gas or NGL conversion technologies, and water management or remediation technologies.

Finalists will be chosen by a panel of industry experts. To download an application, visit the Annual Shale Gas Innovation Contest website. For details regarding eligibility or other questions, contact Bill Hall at either 814-933-8203 or send email to: billhall@psu.edu.

12/14/2015