A Denver-based company is working on a geothermal project to produce electricity using produced fluids from oil and gas production.
"Every day, hot water or hot fluids are produced in the course of oil ad gas production," said Gradient Geothermal CEO Dr. Benjamin Burke. "The oil and gas that comes out of the ground every day is produced at above 200 degrees. "
Burke said the technology pulls heat off of that, and makes power from it.
"And the companies need to cool those fluids before they enter pipelines," Burke said. "And we provide that same cooling service, while also generating power."
Burke said typically, the amount of power made on-site isn't large enough to be exported to the grid, or to long distances.
"This is power typically used on-site, and if off-sets what would be purchased from the grid for those sites," Burke said.
Gradient has partnered with Chord Energy on this project.
"We are supplying cooling to them, so they can meet pipeline specifications, while supplying power to them," said Gradient COO Johanna Ostrom. She said the company is now working to expand in the Williston Basin.
"The plan is to replace chillers across the Basin," Ostrum said. "Almost every new oil and gas site pays to cool fluid, so they are removing thermal energy, and using electricity to do that."
Ostrom said Gradient's equipment can also remove thermal energy.
"It would then generate emissions free power, that adds grid resiliency,' Ostrom said.
Ostrom also said Gradient is working on a project in Colorado to expand the use of the geo-thermal energy.
""We would take the heat after power generation, and we're studying how the community nearby can use that to heat homes, sidewalks and streets," Ostrom said. "And that could expand to North Dakota."
The North Dakota project was partially funded by North Dakota’s Clean Sustainable Energy Authority.
