This UCoMS research aims to develop and deploy a Ubiquitous Computing and Monitoring System (UCoMS) for discovery and and management of energy resources. Being a nationally unique research cluster in IT for energy, UCoMS addresses key research issues to arrive at appropriate technical solutions in the areas of wireless and sensor network systems, Grid computing and storage, and application and monitoring software. It includes cohesive and interrelated areas of projects which together enable the construction of a useful UCoMS prototype for discovery and management of energy resources. The UCoMS prototype is being developed for deployment. The technical solutions will be generally applicable to sensor networks, wireless communications, and Grid computing. These solutions are expected to effectively facilitate drilling and operational data logging and processing, on-platform information distribution and displaying, infrastructure monitoring/intrusion detection, and management of complex surface facilities and pipelines.

This UCoMS research cluster facilitates cooperation among research teams at three Louisiana Universities: University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette), Louisiana State University (LSU), and Southern University (SUBR), enables training and participation of students in energy-related research for possible future employment in DOE-sponsored national labs and the energy sector, and enriches the lecturing materials of various courses offered in all involving institutions. The research cluster is expected to have a lasting positive impact at various levels, strengthening research and IT infrastructure in Louisiana. It brings different research groups from UL Lafayette, LSU, and SUBR in a synergetic and complementary way, and brings academic units and research centers into one team. The cluster fosters inter-disciplinary research across computer science and computer engineering, computational science, and petroleum engineering. The establishment of a functional computational Grid between UL Lafayette and LSU is the first step towards a statewide Grid linking significant resources throughout Louisiana, which will then have the flexibility to provide increased computational power, data storage, and visualization capabilities wherever needed. UCoMS not only can fulfill its aims, but also is in a great position to provide valuable requirements and experiences to the general Grid community, influencing its future direction and development. The application of various sensors in energy production and management has been widespread practice, with rapid growth in its importance as sensor and wireless technologies mature and their costs drop. Massive sensor data can be obtained and delivered to the Grid for not only modeling and analysis, but also production management and safety enhancement. Many challenging issues exist to capitalize on ubiquitous deployment of sensor and wireless devices, and technical solutions derived by this UCoMS research will have significant impacts on both basic technologies and various applications.

This research is supported in part by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under Award Number DE-FG02-04ER46136 and by the Board of Regents, State of Louisiana, under Contract Number DOE/LEQSF(2004-07)-ULL.

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