簡介：雪佛龍技術風險投資公司（CTV）已經為稱為重油開采太陽能-熱蒸汽采油系統進行場地準備工作。該項目位于加利福尼亞一處老油田，它將充分利用多達3000面鏡進行太陽光收集，然后加熱水塔，產生水蒸氣，注入油井下，降低石油粘度，從而實現采收率提升。該項技術對一貫依賴天然氣的熱蒸汽注入來說，是一種新型的環保可持續性新工藝，將對雪佛龍的綠色環保目標做出貢獻。

Chevron Technology Ventures has started site preparations for what is being called the world’s first solar-to-steam field demonstration for heavy oil extraction. The company will partner with solar start-up BrightSource Energy to generate steam from captured sunlight, which will be then be pumped downhole to lower the viscosity of oil in aging California oil fields. 

The closed-loop system of steam generation is a low carbon emission alternative to the current process of burning natural gas to produce steam, Chevron says. The demonstration project will employ at least 3,000?and perhaps as many as 7,000?mirrors to collect sunlight and develop up to 20 MW of thermal power. This power will be concentrated onto a 300-ft water tower, converting the water to a superheated steam at a temperature of 550 °C (1,022 °F) that is then injected into wells to heat the oil, lowering its viscosity and allowing it more easily flow out of the reservoir.

The site?100 acres of a Chevron-operated oil field near Coalinga, California?was chosen by Chevron after one and a half years of study for its flat topography and its high incidence of sun exposure. Construction of the Coalinga plant is scheduled to begin later this year and production is slated to start by the end of 2010, according to Sergio Hoyos, a business developer at Chevron Technology Ventures.

He added that although solar thermal would never completely replace natural gas in steam production for oil extraction, it is an opportunity for Chevron to save energy while championing an environmentally-sustainable technology. If successful, the company plans to replicate this project on other aging oil fields.

Links: BrightSource Energy: www.brightsourceenergy.com/
Chevron Technology Ventures: www.chevron.com/ctv/

楊寶劍 是振威（全球）石油網的高級技術編輯，在石油技術資訊行業有八年的學識和經驗。他源源不斷地提供石油行業全球最新的技術創新、研發成果、現場應用情況等信息。如果你對“新技術新產品”的內容有任何問題或建議，請聯系楊寶劍編輯 +86 10-58236512 Email：allenyo@zhenweiexpo.com 歡迎您提供手中的最新技術文章！