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Electronic Resource
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SAND Report: SAND87-8178, July 1987
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Library's review
ABSTRACT:
In November 1982, ARCO Solar, Incorporated, with the cooperation of ARCO Oil And Gas Company, completed installation and began operation of a central receiver solar thermal pilot plant to produce steam for enhanced oil recovery. The highly automated plant can produce approximately one
In November 1982, ARCO Solar, Incorporated, with the cooperation of ARCO Oil And Gas Company, completed installation and began operation of a central receiver solar thermal pilot plant to produce steam for enhanced oil recovery. The highly automated plant can produce approximately one
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megawatt of thermal power in the form of 80 per cent quality steam, which is delivered to a distribution header for injection into heavy oil formations. An engineering evaluation of data from the ARCO plant has been performed, with the the conclusion that central receiver solar systems can be very effective sources of power to generate steam for the enhanced recovery of heavy oil. The highly automated pilot plant exhibited outstanding reliability of the solar power conversion components while operating routinely with a single attendant, demonstrating the capability for very low operatin1 and maintenance costs for these systems relative to the use of conventional oil-burning steam generators. This document reports the operating and performance characteristics of the ARCO solar thermal enhanced oil recovery (STEOR) system over a full year of operation. System sizing and performance projection for a much larger commercial plant is also presented. Show Less