PDO inaugurates 1GW solar power plant in Oman

Energy Monday 12/February/2018 12:17 PM
By: Times News Service
PDO inaugurates 1GW solar power plant in Oman

Muscat: Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) inaugurated the concentrated solar power facility Miraah, expected to be one of the world’s largest solar power plants, on Monday.
Built and operated by Glasspoint, the 1GW project is expected to deliver 6,000 tonnes of steam per day for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) at Amal West oilfield in southern Oman, when it's fully completed.
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"It's been an incredible journey from a 7MW pilot project to what we have here now. We are now able to displace of natural gas to areas of more added value. This project is a win-win for PDO, Glasspoint and the government of Oman. It puts Oman in the global renewable energy map," Raoul Restucci, Managing Director at PDO said.
The first phase of construction of four blocks have a total capacity of over 100MW and will currently deliver 660 tonnes of steam per day. The project is on track to deliver an additional eight blocks by early 2019.
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The launch also marked the inauguration of the Miraah visitor centre for people from around the world who'd like to know more about the project and its technology.
GlassPoint's solar technology was specifically designed to harness the sun's energy to generate the steam required for thermal EOR, seamlessly integrating into existing oilfield operations. The natural gas saved by using GlassPoint's technology can be exported or directed toward higher-value applications such as power generation or industrial development, diversifying the economy.