BAKERSFIELD. CALIF, (KERO) — Premier Resource Management is repurposing a legacy oil field into a clean and sustainable energy source.
- Premier Resource Management is converting a depleted oil field into geothermal power production.
- The project aims to store thermal energy within the oil reservoir using concentrated solar power.
- Parabolic troughs are being used to concentrate sunlight onto a pipe that heats a working fluid.
- This clean power project will provide jobs and affordable and reliable energy to the community.
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Broadcast transcript:
In the event of a power crisis, Geotes will be able to power all 300,000 homes for 42 days in Bakersfield. Premier resource management is converting A depleted oil field into geothermal power production.
What was once an oil and gas reservoir is now being converted into geologic thermal energy storage. This project is to store thermal energy within the oil reservoir using concentrated solar powered by parabolic troughs.
A partner with Premier Resource Management, Mike Umbro says, "The efficacy of these troughs is much greater than a flat panel as well and the ability to store thermal energy in the reservoir, it gives us 1000 hours of storage duration rather than the traditional solar to lithium project might see 2-4 hours."
Mike Umbro, tells me that these troughs will "Concentrate sunlight onto a pipe, that heats a working fluid. The fluid then goes to a heat exchanger and brings up brackish water to the heat exchanger, to re-inject into the reservoir."
He says, "Oil fields have been explored and developed for over 130 years, the west side of the San Joaquin Valley is very remote, and not near any sensitive receptors for the most part and this is where you want to develop clean power projects."
Mike says not only is this the right spot for clean power generation, but it also produces more for Kern County. "We can provide jobs that bring clean energy to your community affordable energy to the community, and reliable energy to your community," he said.
This project is still in the permit phase but hopes to be online by 2027.
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