Solar-generated Steam for Pumping Oil

In the industrial world, the use of solar energy has grown not only to generate electricity but also take advantage of solar heat to generate steam. An oil and gas drilling company in California has built a GlassPoint greenhouse, a facility that uses solar heat to heat water to produce steam to pump more oil.

GlassPoint glass has a physical form of 20 feet tall equipped with a mirror inside to make steam. According to the company, the only operation that uses solar power for enhanced oil recovery. A series of mirrors in the greenhouse will reflect sunlight into the tube carrying water. Water affected by mirror reflection heat will generate steam that will be pumped into the well to draw more oil from existing wells.

This method is a good alternative to produce steam that is cheaper than the cost of the old ways of using natural gas generator steam. This will also allow oil drillers can get more from existing facilities rather than start new. The company also stated that this method will also allow to extract more oil.