Systems for Electrical Power from Coproduced and Low Temperature Geothermal Resources

Abstract

The Geothermal Technologies Program (GTP), the Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center (RMOTC), and the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) are working together to advance the production of power from coproduced and low temperature geothermal resources. To this end, and through a collaborative effort, RMOTC is being used as a test-bed for promising low temperature geothermal power production technologies. These technologies produce electricity by leveraging existing oil and gas field infrastructure as well as the resource geofluid which is coproduced in the process of harvesting hydrocarbons. GTP is providing the direction and oversight for the work. RMOTC is providing the facility, resource and manpower to operate the test units, while NREL is providing the technical analysis and insight to help overcome challenges currently faced with low temperature geothermal power production systems. Details of the role of each participant are given in the paper.

Presently, the initial geothermal power production unit being tested under the collaborative program is an air-cooled nominal 250 kW Ormat unit installed at RMOTC. To date, the total produced power from the unit is 1,918 megawatt hours of power from 10.9 million barrels of coproduced hot water. The online percentage for the unit, eliminating downtime caused by field activities, has been at 97%. This Ormat unit will continue to be operated at RMOTC for an additional 2 years under the collaborative agreement with DOE