Shell recognizes PDO, GlassPoint for heavy oil recovery solar project
MUSCAT, Oman -- The Miraah solar project underway in southern Oman earned Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and GlassPoint Solar a prestigious Shell Upstream International (UI) Impact Award.
Recognized for ‘Safety and Environment’, Miraah will harness the sun’s energy to produce steam used to recover Oman’s heavy oil. The project will replace natural gas typically burned to produce steam, resulting in more than 300,000 tons of carbon emissions savings each year.
“PDO and GlassPoint have worked relentlessly to move from a successful pilot project to building Miraah, a world leading innovation aimed at reducing environmental impact and conserving valuable gas resources,” said De la Rey Venter, executive V.P., Shell. “The Miraah solar project showcases a concept that can be replicated in other oil fields where a steam-flood is required. Shell is proud about the deployment of this innovative technology, both as a partner and investor, and congratulate our colleagues at PDO and GlassPoint for their part in creating a cleaner energy future.”
The award was received by PDO’s Amal steam project team along with senior representatives from GlassPoint at a special ceremony hosted by Shell Development Oman last week.
The Shell UI Impact Awards recognize companies and teams that are part of the global Shell Group that demonstrate over the top commitment to find ways to do things more safely, economically and effectively, driving delivery and results and encouraging best practices for others in the Shell Group to follow. Shell is one of the major shareholders in PDO with a 34% interest in the company. In its latest edition, the judges received 397 entries from over 20 countries.
“The award demonstrates the growing convergence of solar and the oil and gas industry and is a testament to our joint efforts to recover heavy oil sustainably while positively impacting the environment,” GlassPoint’s COO, Ben Bierman, said.
Bierman explained, “Miraah will be able to save 5.6 trillion British Thermal Units (BTUs) of natural gas each year. The saved gas can be used to fuel other high value industries that support Oman’s economic growth and diversification objectives and create jobs for Omanis.”
Sameh Afifi, PDO’s project manager, commented, “PDO and GlassPoint are committed to delivering Miraah on time and to securing significant energy saving and efficiency benefits for the Sultanate. Miraah has been progressing extremely well during the early months of construction, and we are on track to produce steam from the first glasshouses in 2017. These are truly exciting times for PDO and GlassPoint.”
GlassPoint’s solar EOR solution can reduce an oil field’s gas consumption by up to 80%. Oman can redirect the gas saved to meet rising demand for power generation, desalination, industrial development and LNG exports.
Following a successful pilot that’s been operating since 2012, PDO and GlassPoint broke ground on Miraah in November 2015. Once complete, Miraah will produce over one gigawatt of peak thermal energy, making it one of the largest solar plants of any kind in the world.
