History
1910: The U.S. Dept. of Interior (Bureau of Mines) established the Pittsburgh Experiment Station in Bruceton, Pennsylvania.
The focus of the Station was to offer training for coal miners and to conduct research on coal-mining related safety equipment and practices. It also included a coal mine for the experimental purposes.
1918: The U. S. Dept. of Interior (Bureau of Mines) opened the Petroleum Experiment Station in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. The focus of the Station was to pursue systematic application of engineering and scientific methods to oil drilling, helping the oil industry create operating and safety standards.
1936: New facilities and research activity expended at the Petroleum Experiment Station as the result of the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935, the Works Progress Administration.
1946: The Synthesis Gas Branch Experiment Station was established as government-sponsored coal-gasification research at West Virginia University facilities in Morgantown, West Virginia. The focus of the Station was to produce synthesis gas from coal.
1948: The Bruceton Experiment Station became the Bruceton Research Center as the result of The Synthetic Liquid Fuels Act (1944).
1954: Three Dept of Interior groups (WVU Synthesis Gas Branch Experiment Station, petroleum and natural gas recovery research group located in Franklin, PA since 1942, and a safety inspections group, located in Fairmont, WV since 1946) were consolidated to create the Appalachian Experiment Station for onsite coal research at the current Morgantown location.
1975: The new U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration incorporated the former DOI sites as the Bartlesville Energy Research Center, the Morgantown Energy Research Center, and the Pittsburgh Energy Research Center. The Centers begin overseeing federally funded contracts for fossil energy research and development.
1977: All three research centers became technology center under the newly established U.S. DOE: Bartlesville Energy Technology Center (BETC), Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC), and Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center (PETC). The Centers’ focus included onsite research in coal, oil, and gas technologies as well as management of contracts for research and development conducted by universities, industry, and other research institutions.
1983: Operation of the BETC transferred to IIT Research Institute, a private organization based in Chicago. Also, the Bartlesville Project Office was established to oversee the petroleum research activities.
1996: METC and PETC were consolidated to form the Federal Energy Technology Center (FETC); both sites 65 miles (105 km) apart but the same administration.
1998: National Petroleum Technology Office (NPTO) in Tulsa, Oklahoma was established and the Bartlesville Project Office was closed.
1999: National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) came to the existence as DOE’s 15th national laboratory.
2000: NPTO joined NETL.
2001: NETL opened the Arctic Energy Office in Fairbanks, Alaska, to promote research, development, and deployment of (I) oil recovery, gas-to-liquids, and natural gas production and transportation and, (II) electric power in Arctic climates, including fossil, wind, geothermal, fuel cells, and small hydroelectric facilities.
2005: The Albany Research Center (ARC) in Albany, Oregon, merged with NETL. The ARC has expertise in life cycle research and advanced materials for the energy system challenges of today and tomorrow
Read more about this topic: National Energy Technology Laboratory
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