September 23, 2010

NYSERDA's John P. Martin, Ph.D. Named to US DOE Advisory Panel

John P. Martin, Ph.D., of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has been named to the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Unconventional Resources Technology Advisory Committee (URTAC) by US DOE Secretary Steven Chu.

The high-level panel reports on research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of technologies for onshore unconventional natural gas and the technology challenges for small producers, safe operations, and environmental mitigation including reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and sequestration of carbon.

Dr. Martin is an internationally recognized authority on geology and mineral resources, including natural gas and petroleum exploration.

NYSERDA President and CEO Francis J. Murray, Jr. noted Dr. Martin's long-standing experience in New York's subsurface resources: “Secretary Chu's appointment is a tribute to the tremendous contributions John has made to both NYSERDA and the energy field during his career. His work, along with so many other talented professionals at NYSERDA, has helped our organization become a nationally-recognized source for energy-related expertise on the full range of energy issues.” The two-year appointment is not salaried.

At NYSERDA, Dr. Martin concentrates on evaluating the technical and environmental issues surrounding shale and natural gas production, evaluating the potential for geologic carbon dioxide sequestration, and developing new approaches to supplying vital energy needs. He collaborates with the State's Geological Survey and other government and university organizations, including the Midwestern Regional Carbon Sequestration Consortium, the Tricarb Consortium for Carbon Sequestration and projects with Advanced Resources International.

Dr. Martin serves as a member of the Operations and Environment Task Group for the National Petroleum Council's “Prudent Development of North American Natural Gas and Oil Resources” study, 2010. He has coordinated the Governor's Carbon Capture and Sequestration Working Group on Science and Technology, an interagency committee organized in 2007. Also, he has twice been a panelist for Popular Science Magazine's Future of Energy and the Environment Roundtable (2009, 2008) and served on the National Energy Technology Laboratory's 2009 Expert Peer Review Panel assessing a “Benefits Estimation Methodology for Unconventional Natural Gas and Small Producer Projects.

Dr. Martin received his Ph.D., MS and BS degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and holds an M.B.A. from Miami University.

Contact:

Jeffrey Gordon, NYSERDA
518-862-1090 ext. 3544
jrg@nyserda.ny.gov