Enter the 5th Annual 2016 Shale Gas Innovation Contest – Applications Due By Midnight, February 1, 2016!

The snowstorm is over! Now it’s time for innovators in Pennsylvania and West Virginia to complete their applications to enter the 5^th Annual Shale Gas Innovation Contest! You are eligible to apply if you are developing or recently commercialized a new product or service that has applicability to any aspect of the O&G industry, and you’re located in one of the two above mentioned states. The contest, sponsored by the Ben Franklin Shale Gas Innovation and Commercialization Center (www.sgicc.org) offers a total of $80,000 in cash prizes.

Any new technology that could be employed along the entire O&G industry value chain is of interest, including ancillary technologies like novel coatings or chemicals, sensors, IT management concepts, and EH&S focused concepts. A simple online application can be found at http://www.sgicc.org/2016-shale-gas-innovation-contest.html.

Applicants chosen as Finalists will gain exposure to investors, potential partners, and industry sponsors at the May 18^th, 2016 Finals Event which will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Southpointe, PA. Mark your calendars now and plan to attend this FREE EVENT which will also include a poster session highlighting promising technologies under development at regional universities and research centers.

This 5^th Annual Shale Gas Innovation Contest’s GOLD sponsor is the Ben Franklin Technology Partners (http://www.benfranklin.org). Industry sponsors include: AquaTech (www.aquatech.com), Chevron Technology Ventures (http://www.chevron.com/ctv/ctvi/), EQT Corporation (https://www.eqt.com/ ), First National Bank (www.fnb-online.com ), GE Transportation (http://www.getransportation.com/), Inflection Energy (http://www.inflectionenergy.com/), LPR Energy (http://www.lprenergy.com/), LPR Land Services (http://www.lprls.com/), the Marcellus Shale Coalition (http://marcelluscoalition.org), PPG Industries (http://corporate.ppg.com/), Praxair (www.praxair.com), Steptoe & Johnson PLLC (http://www.steptoe-johnson.com/ ), and Williams (www.williamsinthenortheast.com). Non-Profit sponsors include: Carnegie Mellon University’s Scott Institute for Energy Innovation (http://www.cmu.edu/energy/), Penn State University’s Institute for Natural Gas Research (http://www.ems.psu.edu/INGaR), the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Energy (http://www.engineering.pitt.edu/cfe/), and West Virginia University’s Energy Institute (http://energy.wvu.edu/). And the Media sponsor for this year’s event is the Marcellus Business Central (http://www.pabusinesscentral.com/).

The SGICC also wants to recognize the generous support of the Benedum Foundation that once again has allowed the contest to include West Virginia, as well as Pennsylvania.

Finalists will be chosen by a panel of industry experts. The contest is open to small businesses, researchers, or entrepreneurs in Pennsylvania or West Virginia. To review the eligibility requirements and download an application, visit www.sgicc.org and click on the 2016 Shale Gas Innovation Contest tab. Deadline to enter is 11:59 P.M. on February 1, 2016. For questions regarding eligibility or for any other questions, contact Bill Hall at either 814-933-8203 or billhall@psu.edu.

About the SGICC

The Ben Franklin Shale Gas Innovation and Commercialization Center (www.sgicc.org) is designed to harness innovation and new technologies as a means to maximize the economic return to Pennsylvania’s citizens from the Marcellus and Utica shale formations. The Center’s goal is to increase sustainable employment and wealth creation in Pennsylvania that has the potential to outlast the initial exploration, production and transportation of natural gas from the formations. The Center will also identify, support and commercialize technologies and early-stage businesses that enhance responsible stewardship of the environment while properly utilizing this transformative energy asset.

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