This report outlines how the solar and battery system being installed at oil well pumps can be applied across other industries in wider applications.
Report extract
In 2018, Santos commenced conversion of oil well beam pumps to solar and battery power as part of an Australian-first trial.
On behalf of the Australian Government, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency provided $4.2 million in funding to Santos to convert 56 remote crude oil beam pumps to solar and batteries.
Recognising the successful 2018 pilot installation at the Hobbes-1 well site, solar PV and batteries will be installed at 56 oil wells across the Cooper Basin in South Australia and Queensland.
This trial will supply each site with 100 per cent renewable energy and is the next step to commercialise the technology through scale to drive supply chain and execution synergies resulting in reduced cost.
Benefits of converting from crude/diesel fuel power generation to solar and battery include:
- Removal of fuel consumption
- Removal of fuel logistics and distribution
- Reduction in maintenance costs; solar and battery are primarily static equipment
- Reduction in risk associated with travel to remote environments
- Increased availability and reliability of the power system
Santos has contracted CD Power, Kaefer and AGL to deliver the conversion of oil well beam pumps to solar and battery power through EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contracts. The example within this document captures the CD Power solution applied to the Biala-12 oil well.
The purpose of this report is to share knowledge capturing how solar and battery power systems utilised for oil well pumps could be applied across other industries in wider applications.