The Regional Research Institute occupies a unique position on the WVU campus. While limited in research staff, its activities and influence extend across a large number of disciplines, colleges and research units.
The core research staff includes the Director, a Research Associate Professor, a
Research Assistant Professor, a Post-doctoral Research Fellow, and several Graduate
Research Assistants. All RRI staff members are expected to participate in external
funding activities, including the preparation and submission of external funding
proposals and the conduct of funded research. The RRI strives to include faculty
from across campus in collaborative research proposals initiated in-house and also
participates, whenever appropriate and possible, in initiatives centered elsewhere.
Likewise, we seek to build relationships with researchers from other institutions,
including continuing collaborations with scholars at other institutions, which
have included the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie-Mellon University, Georgia
Institute of Technology, the University of Washington in Seattle, George Mason
University, Florida International University, Pennsylvania State University, Virginia
Polytechnic Institute, Arizona State University and the National Energy Technology
Laboratory.
ARC Coal Industry Ecosystem (CIE) Analysis Extensions: Prospectus
Researchers: Randall Jackson, Peter Jarosi, John Deskins, Eric Bowen, Christiadi, Brian Lego, Heather Stephens, Elham Erfanian, West Virginia University; Jilleah G. Welch, Matthew N. Murray, University of Tennessee
Start Date: July 1, 2019
End Date: September 30, 2020
Funding Agency: ARC, $500,000
Project Summary: This project focuses on Appalachian coal-based employment, production data and forecasts using tables, maps, and diagrams. Through a conventional shift-share analysis on a subset of high-interest counties, the researchers will identify the unique characteristics of structural economic change in these regions and will perform an analysis for implementing a power industry ecosystem. Existing industrial clusters for five county or multi-county regions will be examined to identify industries and clusters with high potential for economic development in each region and while also evaluating gaps and strengths for these clusters using location quotients, shift-share methods, and input-output methods. This project will also support the investigation of states’ efforts to empower treatment and recovery programs.To help the region target scarce resources to support regional prosperity, researchers will look at which industries or occupations contribute more to regional growth.
Economic Analysis of Natural Gas Markets
Researchers: Randall W. Jackson, John Deskins and Eric Bowen
Start Date: May 1, 2019
End Date: December 31, 2019
Funding Agency: NETL, $15,255 (RRI portion $3,902)
Project Summary: To enable the continued expansion of production of natural gas, oil
and NGLs, additional infrastructure will be necessary. Market awareness and company
awareness, along with detailed analysis shall support a better understanding of
the potential for sustained or increased production of natural gas,oil and NGLs.
We will discuss the potential for economic growth within the Appalachian region,
including growth of natural as development, petrochemical and other related industries.
Marcellus Shale Energy Environmental Laboratory (MSEEL)
Researchers: WVU and The Ohio State University
Start Date: November 2014
End Date: Ongoing (5 year project)
Funding Agency: DOE/NETL and Northeast Natural Energy $7,770,226
Project Summary: “As the Appalachian Region feels the impact of the burgeoning shale-energy
industry, a consortium of researchers and industrial partners led by West Virginia
University, with the assistance of The Ohio State University, will conduct the
first-ever long-term, comprehensive field study of a natural resource that has
changed the country’s – and the world’s – energy supply. The team will identify
and demonstrate technologies required for best practices in environmentally responsible
shale development, from drilling to completion through production. The U.S. Department
of Energy will allow the research team to create and manage the Marcellus Shale
Energy and Environment Laboratory, a field site and dedicated research laboratory
at the Morgantown Industrial Park. The Marcellus Shale Energy and Environment Laboratory
will allow the team to address critical gaps of knowledge of the characterization,
basic subsurface science, and completion and stimulation strategies that enable
more efficient resource recovery from fewer wells with reduced environmental impact.
The primary objectives of the project include providing a long-term research site
with an existing well and documented production and environment baseline from two
previously completed wells. A dedicated scientific-observation well will be used
to collect detailed subsurface data and to monitor and test technologies in additional
wells to be drilled periodically over the project lifetime. The site also offers
a unique opportunity to enable an open, collaborative and integrated program of
science and technology development and testing to minimize environmental impacts
while maximizing economic benefits.” (Source: WVU Today)