Recent developments, challenges and opportunities for harnessing solar renewable energy for thermal Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR)

The present study is aimed to review of harnessing renewable solar energy for extracting heavy crude oil by Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) technologies. Heavy oil recovery with larger amounts could be effectively carried out by steam injection. The steam is typically required for power generation, plant utilities, and injecting into oil reservoir as part of EOR operations. Production of steam in huge quantities would require huge amount of fossil fuel resources (conventionally). Hence, replacement of fossil fuel-derived steam by solar-derived steam would solve the twin problems of energy scarcity and greenhouse gas emissions. It was explored from the study that among all other technologies enclosed parabolic trough technology were recent development and efficient for direct steam generation for the EOR operations. On the other hand, large land requirement, huge capital cost, variable steam loads, performance loss due to dust, wind and storms are the significant challenges to be addressed for effective implementation of solar EOR technologies. Enclosed parabolic trough technology would solve the problems raised due to dust and wind. In addition, integration of solar steam generation with proper storage system and improved economy model would make the successful employment of solar EOR technologies.