Keeping the power on: Geothermal energy and ocean currents could keep well sites operating autonomously

摘要

In the U.K. "keeping the lights on" is a phrase we have become used to over the last few years as concern spreads over a possible gap between power supply and demand toward the end of this decade. Those of us old enough to remember the 1970s, three-day weeks and prolonged power outages will hope we don't face a return to the dark days. But if we are struggling to keep the power supply running to our homes, how can we expect to keep subsea equipment fired up? There are a number of companies out there focusing on exactly this problem. As Stuart Ellison, director of Exnics, explained, "We have been looking at potential sources of power at the well site. You have solar, wind, waves, tidal, all those kind of things, but we realized nobody is really looking at the geothermal energy a subsea well produces.