10 December 2013
MUSCAT - GlassPoint Solar, a global provider of solar steam generators for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), says its technology solutions can help spur the growth of thousands of new jobs across the Sultanate.
Rod MacGregor, President and Chief Executive Officer of the US-based firm, made the comment in an interview with The Energy Exchange, organisers of the Gas Arabia Summit, currently underway at the Grand Hyatt Muscat.
Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and GlassPoint Solar completed the largest solar EOR project in the Middle East in December 2012. The project, which aims to prove solar can reliably fuel thermal EOR operations and reduce the need to burn natural gas, was officially commissioned in May 2013.
MacGregor expanded: "GlassPoint's technology provides steam for thermal EOR, enabling PDO to maintain oil production and save valuable natural gas resources. More broadly, GlassPoint's EOR solution provides a powerful economic stimulus that is poised to create thousands of jobs across Oman. By replacing natural gas with solar energy for steam generation, Oman can redirect scarce natural gas resources to the private sector for use in industrial development and job creation. Redirecting 80 per cent of current gas resources used for EOR to private industry could fuel up to 280,000 new jobs throughout the Sultanate."
Prior to launching the solar EOR project in Oman, GlassPoint was known for unveiling the world's first commercial solar enhanced oil recovery (EOR) project with Berry Petroleum Company in California.
Comparing the project in Oman to the Berry Petroleum project, MacGregor highlighted that: "The 7MWth project with PDO is more than 27 times larger and is the first project of its kind in the Middle East."
Referring specifically to the status of the project with PDO, MacGregor said: "The system is now in daily operation generating an average of 50 tons of emissions-free steam per day. The facility passed its first performance acceptance test in early 2013, exceeding contracted steam output by 10 per cent. The project serves as a performance and operational baseline for potential large-scale solar steam generation projects in Oman and throughout the Gulf region."
Some of the benefits of this project include: reduction in fuel costs, maximisation of natural gas value, recovery of more oil, and local economic development.
Giving credit to GlassPoint's overarching business strategy, team and partners, Mr MacGregor further added: "We are very proud that the project was completed on time and on budget with zero lost time injuries. With the success of the pilot, GlassPoint is now exploring possibilities for large-scale projects throughout the region. Oman is an ideal location for solar EOR due to its bountiful sunshine and limited access to natural gas.
Gas used in oil production accounts for more than 24 per cent of Oman's total natural gas consumption and continues to rapidly increase. In the first half of 2013 alone, gas use in Oman oilfields jumped more than 11 per cent. GlassPoint can help the country by not only delivering low-cost steam for oil production, but also by generating significant in-country value by reducing the amount of natural gas burned for EOR.
On day two of the Gas Arabia Summit, MacGregor will be discussing how solar steam generation for EOR can transform local economies. His presentation, titled "How solar EOR can change the gas supply-demand dynamic in the GCC," will focus on how countries like Oman can benefit from redirecting natural gas to higher value applications, which translates into economic growth and job creation.
MUSCAT - GlassPoint Solar, a global provider of solar steam generators for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), says its technology solutions can help spur the growth of thousands of new jobs across the Sultanate.
Rod MacGregor, President and Chief Executive Officer of the US-based firm, made the comment in an interview with The Energy Exchange, organisers of the Gas Arabia Summit, currently underway at the Grand Hyatt Muscat.
Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and GlassPoint Solar completed the largest solar EOR project in the Middle East in December 2012. The project, which aims to prove solar can reliably fuel thermal EOR operations and reduce the need to burn natural gas, was officially commissioned in May 2013.
MacGregor expanded: "GlassPoint's technology provides steam for thermal EOR, enabling PDO to maintain oil production and save valuable natural gas resources. More broadly, GlassPoint's EOR solution provides a powerful economic stimulus that is poised to create thousands of jobs across Oman. By replacing natural gas with solar energy for steam generation, Oman can redirect scarce natural gas resources to the private sector for use in industrial development and job creation. Redirecting 80 per cent of current gas resources used for EOR to private industry could fuel up to 280,000 new jobs throughout the Sultanate."
Prior to launching the solar EOR project in Oman, GlassPoint was known for unveiling the world's first commercial solar enhanced oil recovery (EOR) project with Berry Petroleum Company in California.
Comparing the project in Oman to the Berry Petroleum project, MacGregor highlighted that: "The 7MWth project with PDO is more than 27 times larger and is the first project of its kind in the Middle East."
Referring specifically to the status of the project with PDO, MacGregor said: "The system is now in daily operation generating an average of 50 tons of emissions-free steam per day. The facility passed its first performance acceptance test in early 2013, exceeding contracted steam output by 10 per cent. The project serves as a performance and operational baseline for potential large-scale solar steam generation projects in Oman and throughout the Gulf region."
Some of the benefits of this project include: reduction in fuel costs, maximisation of natural gas value, recovery of more oil, and local economic development.
Giving credit to GlassPoint's overarching business strategy, team and partners, Mr MacGregor further added: "We are very proud that the project was completed on time and on budget with zero lost time injuries. With the success of the pilot, GlassPoint is now exploring possibilities for large-scale projects throughout the region. Oman is an ideal location for solar EOR due to its bountiful sunshine and limited access to natural gas.
Gas used in oil production accounts for more than 24 per cent of Oman's total natural gas consumption and continues to rapidly increase. In the first half of 2013 alone, gas use in Oman oilfields jumped more than 11 per cent. GlassPoint can help the country by not only delivering low-cost steam for oil production, but also by generating significant in-country value by reducing the amount of natural gas burned for EOR.
On day two of the Gas Arabia Summit, MacGregor will be discussing how solar steam generation for EOR can transform local economies. His presentation, titled "How solar EOR can change the gas supply-demand dynamic in the GCC," will focus on how countries like Oman can benefit from redirecting natural gas to higher value applications, which translates into economic growth and job creation.
© Oman Daily Observer 2013
