ThermalDrive™ TECHNOLOGY-Direct Use of Geothermal Energy in Oil & Gas Fields

Presented byRichard Darlow

• ESPs pump almost 60% of global oil production annually

• However they have a system efficiency of only 35% to 6O%

ANATOMY OF AN ELECTRICAL SUBMERSIBLE PUMP (ESP)

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS CONTRIBUTE 46% OF ESP LOSSES

• $400,000 annual power cost at 3,000 BPD & 7,500 ft. head ($0.10/kwh)

• Short average service cycle of 1.5 to 2.5 years

• Limited capability in high temperature environments

ANATOMY OF AN ESP Continued

$-

$200,000.00

$400,000.00

$600,000.00

$800,000.00

3,000 6,000 9,000 12,000Head in Feet

Annual Power Cost Vs. HeadPumping Rate: 3,000 BPD Utility

Rate: $0.10/KWh

* DOWNHOLE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ARE HIGHEST CONTRIBUTOR TO ESP SYSTEM FAILURES

Nor

mal

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Fai

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* Source: 2008 RIFTS Database

• Originally developed for geothermal power market

• Eliminates high failure rate down-hole electric motor, cable and seal

• Eliminates costly medium voltage VFD and switchgear

• Offers dramatic reduction in power consumption

• Thrives in high temperature environment

ThermalDrive™ - a Downhole Thermal Motor to Drive a Submersible Pump

ThermalDrive

Productionzone

Expander

Pump

Condenser

• Turbo-expander driven by supercritical working fluid

• Working fluid builds high pressure and temperature by▫ Gravity head from tall liquid column▫ Heat transfer from produced fluid

• Thermo-syphon loop driven by▫ High pressure vapor rising through the well annulus▫ Vapor being condensed at the surface creating a pressure drop

• Pump shaft is magnetically coupled to turbo-expander for▫ Separation of production and working fluids▫ Allowing wireline retrieval of the pump

Charge Pump

ThermalDriveTurbo Expander Rotor Pump Shaft with Coupling

ThermalDrive

MAGNETIC COUPLINGProvides separation between produced fluid & working fluid PRODUCTION TUBING

TURBO EXPANDERWorking fluid in annulus, compressed by gravity & heated by production fluid, spins motor

PUMP SECTIONWireline retrievable through production tubing

ThermalDrive™

Productionzone

Expander

Pump

Condenser

• Power generation becomes an option when produced fluid has sufficient heat.

• High energy working fluid vapor exits wellhead and runs a turbine generator

• Provides auxiliary oilfield power or renewable energy to the grid

ThermalDrive PlusTurbine

Generator

Productionzone

Expander

Pump

• Offshore co-production of power

• Consistent sea-floor temperature provides optimal thermal cycle potential for power generation (ΔT)

• Substantially reduces cost of offshore power consumption

Turbine Generator

ThermalDrive OffshoreCondenser

Auxiliary Power

ThermalDriveSEABED PUMPING/POWER GENERATION (1 of 2)• For free flowing or gas lift production wells

• Extracting thermal heat from subsea wellbore to drive seabed pumping or power generation

• Consistent sea-floor temperature provides optimal thermal cycle potential (ΔT)

PATENTED PIPE WITHIN A PIPE WELLBORE HEAT EXCHANGER TECHNOLOGY

ThermalDriveSEABED PUMPING/POWER GENERATION (2 of 2)

PATENTED WELLBORE MULTI-TUBE HEAT EXCHANGER TECHNOLOGY

• High efficiency heat exchanger for medium to high power applications

• Requires larger diameter wellbore vs. pipe in pipe heat exchanger

THYMO™ (Thermal Hydraulic Model)

Productionzone

Expander

Pump

143°F85 psia

Produced Fluid

143°F 85 psia

241°F 3118 psia

234°F 83 psia

240°F 1278 psia

7000’

10000’

Working Fluid (down)

154°F 2359 psia

220°F 5985 psia

Working Fluid(up)

145°F 359 psia

195°F 2434 psia

ReservoirConditions:

240°F1312 psia

3000 BPD100°F

ambient

Condenser

Working Fluid:R125

Example• Production Rate = 3,000 BPD• Pump Depth = 7,100 ft• Reservoir Temp. = 240⁰F

THYMO SAGD Example

Productionzone

Turbo-Expander

Pump

140°F125 psia

Produced Fluid

313°F 130 psia

400°F 519 psia

399°F 282 psia

400°F 356 psia

1000’

1200’

Working Fluid (down)

92°F 303 psia

386°F 560 psia

Working Fluid(up)

254°F 394 psia

376°F 473 psia

ReservoirConditions:

400°F400 psia

3000 BPD70°F

ambient

Condenser

Working Fluid:HFC-236fa

Example• Production Rate = 3,000 BPD• Pump Depth = 1,000 ft• Reservoir Temp. = 400⁰F• Electricity Generation ≈ 300 kW

332 kW

28 kW

• THYMO™ - Thermal Hydraulic Model well performance evaluation software▫ Blade Energy Partners – developed original version for geothermal

market▫ Ortloff Engineers – adapted software model to oil well applications

• Turbo Expander – at technology readiness level (TRL) 5▫ Concepts NREC – developed design for turbo expander

• Seeking partner for in-well testing

State of Technology