The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE’s) Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office (HGEO) is comprised of a dedicated team of approximately 730 federal employees and 1,860 contractors—scientists, engineers, technicians, and administrative staff. Its headquarters are in downtown Washington, D.C., and in Germantown, MD.
Within HGEO, the Office of Strategic Resources administers DOE’s regulatory responsibilities for liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports under the Natural Gas Act and oversees the nation’s strategic and emergency fuel reserves. This includes the Naval Petroleum Reserve, the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve, and the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). The SPR has a Project Management Office located in New Orleans, LA, and operates four major sites along the Gulf Coast (Bryan Mound, Big Hill, West Hackberry, and Bayou Choctaw).
The organization also includes the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), DOE’s only government-owned, government-operated National Laboratory focused on advancing the nation’s energy future. NETL has offices in Morgantown, WV, Pittsburgh, PA, Houston, TX, Albany, OR, and Anchorage, AK.
The Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office (HGEO) consists of several offices that support HGEO's mission.
Office of Operations - drives execution of the HGEO mission in support of Administration priorities and goals through innovative, efficient, and cost-effective programs, processes, and systems.
Office of Subsurface Energy - leads and supports the research, development and demonstration of upstream, midstream, and downstream subsurface energy (coal, oil and gas, geothermal) technologies.
Office of Strategic Resources - leads efforts to ensure the security, stability, and strategic value of the Nation’s oil and gas exports and the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
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Last Updated: April 1, 2026