Featuring 7,000 mirrors over 100 acres, the new plant will deliver high-pressure steam into the oil wells at Coalinga, California, bringing the petroleum to a higher temperature and moving it more quickly through the well, thus increasing production. Given that many oil fields in California also have thick and heavy oil, this method promises to increase production and burnish the oil company's green credentials. However, this method remains expensive. Some experts have found that the solar-powered extraction technique will only be competitive in environments in which natural gas prices rise above $8.50 per million British thermal units, making it prohibitive in bust times, but quite lucrative during boom periods.
While some may consider solar energy to be a technological competitor to conventional fuels like oil and gas, oil companies have begun investigating ways to integrate solar power into their extraction methods. Several companies, including eSolar, BrightSource Energy, and Ausra, which generally focus their efforts on solar power production, have begun working with industry giants to find ways to bring solar energy and oil together. One promising new development has grown from the partnership between Chevron and BrightSource: a 29-megawatt solar steam plant. Click here
Featuring 7,000 mirrors over 100 acres, the new plant will deliver high-pressure steam into the oil wells at Coalinga, California, bringing the petroleum to a higher temperature and moving it more quickly through the well, thus increasing production. Given that many oil fields in California also have thick and heavy oil, this method promises to increase production and burnish the oil company's green credentials. However, this method remains expensive. Some experts have found that the solar-powered extraction technique will only be competitive in environments in which natural gas prices rise above $8.50 per million British thermal units, making it prohibitive in bust times, but quite lucrative during boom periods.
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Sentry Energy ProductionAs the U.S. government and its residents attempt to become less dependent on foreign oil and gas, oil and natural gas exploration and development firm Sentry Energy Production LLC seeks out reserves in the most efficient manner. Archives
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