Research Initiative Will Demonstrate Low Temperature Geothermal Electrical Power Generation Systems Using Oilfield Fluids

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) is announcing a new collaboration with the Office of Fossil Energy (FE) to demonstrate the versatility, reliability, and deployment capabilities of low-temperature geothermal electrical power generation systems using co-produced water from oilfield operations at the Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center (RMOTC) in Wyoming.

These systems turn discarded water into electricity, which is utilized to power field production equipment offsetting purchased electricity costs. RMOTC will use an Ormat Technologies, Inc. low temperature geothermal electricity producing unit to showcase its capabilities as an optimal testing facility for geothermal technologies and expand knowledge sharing between the geothermal and petroleum industries. Additionally, FE will contribute its experience to emerging renewable energy fields.

GTO hopes to collect operational and performance data on climates and system configurations, which will be freely available for industry and public education about geothermal renewable energy possibilities.