SI International continues work with Energy

SI International Inc. has received a follow-on contract to support the Energy Department as it continues to determine final equity ownership at Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 1 in Kern County, Calif.

The contract is valued at $6.6 million over three years, according to SI International, provided the government exercises all its options.

Reston, Va.-based SI International will provide the Energy Department with petroleum engineering and geoscience technical support over the duration of the contract. SI International's services include integrated geophysical, geological, petrophysical and petroleum engineering services, with complex reservoir characterization and simulation.

In 1996, Congress authorized the sale of the federal government's interest in Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 1, also known as Elk Hills Oil Field. But before the field can be privatized, SI International and the Energy Department must put a figure on the government's share.

Company officials said SI International's experience with classical engineering and modern reservoir modeling methodologies make it a good fit for the equity determination project.

The Naval Petroleum Reserves were established between 1912 and 1915 to supply America's naval fleet with emergency sources of fuel. In the 1940s, the government and Chevron agreed to jointly develop Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 1, after it was determined the reserve extended into Chevron property. It was largely inactive until Congress called for maximum production in response to OPEC's 1973 oil embargo. At that time, responsibility for the field passed from the Navy to the Energy Department.

With 2002 revenue of $149.4 million, SI International is ranked No. 83 on Washington Technology's 2003 Top 100 list, which measures federal contracting revenue.