GlassPoint Solar

GlassPoint Solar is a private company founded in 2009 that designs and manufactures solar steam generators that use solar thermal technology to generate steam for industrial processes.

GlassPoint Solar
Private
IndustrySolar thermal energy
Headquarters
United States of America 
Number of employees
300-500
Websiteglasspoint.com

Overview
7MW Solar EOR project in Amal, Oman
Generating steam for EOR using concentrated solar power

GlassPoint's enclosed trough technology encloses lightweight mirrors in a standard agricultural greenhouse, concentrating the sun's energy to create steam. The company's solar thermal technology uses trough-shaped mirrors, standard piping and a greenhouse structure.[1] By using the enclosed trough architecture, GlassPoint claims it can produce emission-free steam for two to three times less than competing concentrated solar power technologies, such as the power tower and linear fresnel.[2] The company is based in Fremont, California, with offices in Bakersfield, California, Muscat, Oman, Kuwait City, Kuwait and Shenzhen, China.

In December 2012, GlassPoint announced $26 million in Series B financing. Investors in the round included Royal Dutch Shell, RockPort Capital, Nth Power and Chrysalix Energy Venture Capital.[3]

In September 2014, GlassPoint announced $53 million in Series C financing. Investors in the round included Royal Dutch Shell, State General Reserve Fund of Oman, RockPort Capital, Nth Power and Chrysalix Energy Venture Capital.[4]

To date, GlassPoint has a total of $86.7 million in funding.[5]

It was announced that GlassPoint Solar was to be liquidated in May 2020, the company citing low and unpredictable oil and gas prices for the decision.[6][7]

Projects

Berry Petroleum
The world's first solar EOR project, operated by Berry Petroleum Company in Kern Country, CA, USA.

In 2011, GlassPoint deployed the world's first commercial solar EOR project at an oilfield operated by Berry Petroleum in Kern County, Calif., USA.[8] Built in less than six weeks, the system uses the sun's radiant heat to produce approximately 1 million British Thermal Units (Btus) per hour of solar heat. GlassPoint partnered with local firms TJ Cross Engineers and PCL Industrial Services, as well as San Francisco based REM Design, to construct the system, which spans 7,000 square feet of land on the 100-year-old oilfield. The enclosed trough system preheats water to 190 °F used as feedwater for Berry Petroleum's gas-fired steam generators.

Petroleum Development Oman
A solar enhanced oil recovery project commissioned by Petroleum Development Oman

In May 2013, GlassPoint commissioned the Middle East's first solar EOR project, a 7MWth system developed in partnership with Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), the largest oil company in the Sultanate of Oman. The system produces an average of 50 tons of emissions-free steam daily.[9] operated successfully for more than 4 years, generating an average of 50 tons of emissions-free steam per day that fed directly into existing thermal EOR operations at PDO's Amal West oilfield.[10]

The system was completed on time, on budget, and with no Lost Time Injuries demonstrating GlassPoint and PDO's shared commitment to health, safety, security and the environment (HSSE). During the first 12 months of operations, actual performance of the GlassPoint system matched output models within a few percent and steam production continues to exceed contracted performance targets. The system recorded 98.6% uptime and maintained regular operations during severe dust and sand storms. The automated roof-washing unit proved particularly effective in all weather events, restoring system performance overnight.[11] The project served as a performance and operational baseline for larger steam generators in Oman and provided PDO with valuable information for planning potential large-scale projects in the future.

In July 2015, Petroleum Development Oman and GlassPoint Solar announced that they signed an agreement to build a 1 GWth solar field. The total solar field will be 1.8 km and the total project will be 3 km. The project, named Miraah, will be the world's largest solar field measured by peak thermal capacity.[12]

In August 2017, GlassPoint and its contractors crossed the threshold of 1.5 million man-hours worked without lost time injury (LTI) at Miraah.

In November 2017, GlassPoint and Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) completed construction on the first block of the Miraah solar plant safely on schedule and in line with budget, and successfully delivered steam to the Amal West oilfield.[13]

As of November 2018, the first 100 MWt of Miraah are operating and meeting all performance targets.[14]

Belridge Solar

In November 2017, Aera Energy and GlassPoint Solar announced a joint project to create California's largest solar energy field.[15] Located at the South Belridge Oil Field, the project, called Belridge Solar, will be the first in the world to incorporate solar steam generation with solar electricity generation.

The Belridge Oil Field resides near Bakersfield, California. Once completed, the facility is projected to produce 12 million barrels of steam annually through a 850MW thermal solar steam generator. It is planned to reduce the natural gas used at the Belridge Oil Field for the production and extraction of heavy oil in its enhanced oil recovery process (EOR).

Additionally, a separate 26.5 MW electricity generating facility using photovoltaic panels is planned to power oilfield operations.

A rendering of the Belridge facility, which, when done, will be the largest in California.

This new facility is predicted to reduce carbon emissions by more than 376,000 metric tons annually.[16] This will offset more than one-third of all the cars driven in Bakersfield. It is also expected to create hundreds of jobs throughout California.

This project highlights a growing trend of oil and gas companies partnering with the solar energy industry.

Occidental Petroleum of Oman

In November 2018, GlassPoint and Occidental Petroleum of Oman signed an agreement to cooperate on a solar thermal project to facilitate oil production on an oilfield in the Sultanate of Oman.

The agreement outlines plans to generate up to 100,000 barrels of solar steam per day for heavy oil production at Mukhaizna oilfield. The proposed solar thermal plant would exceed two gigawatts and could save more than 800,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions each year.

Occidental of Oman would purchase the steam under a long-term off-take agreement, providing a cost-effective, zero-emissions alternative to steam generated using natural gas.[17]

In-Country Value
Glasspoint introduced the concept of an enclosed trough to EOR

GlassPoint claims its technology can help oil operators free natural gas currently burned for oil production. This gas can be redirected to higher value applications, such as desalination, industrial development or export as LNG, thus increasing economic well-being. New supply chains associated with solar industries can generate significant societal value as well.

GlassPoint Innovation Spur

In January 2018, GlassPoint signed a collaboration agreement with a host of partners to establish its corporate social responsibility initiative, the ‘GlassPoint Innovation Spur’.

The program is set to contribute and sustainably drive innovation within Oman's renewable energy and water management sectors. The list of partners includes The Research Council (TRC), Innovation Park Muscat (IPM), Public Authority for SME Development (Riyada) and Sharakah.

An intensive full-cycle incubation program, the GlassPoint Innovation Spur will provide aspiring Omani entrepreneurs with an integrated ecosystem of scientific, technical and business support. The two-year program will equip participants with valuable skills through coaching and mentorship, as they transform their innovations into implementable businesses. Robust screening, selection, and testing criteria is in place to ensure originality and economic feasibility. Selected entrepreneurs will receive practical support to further develop their inventions and establish businesses before being linked to investors.[18]

SolaRISE Technology Center

In September 2018, GlassPoint Solar in partnership with Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) announced a new technology center.

The joint initiative is called SolaRISE for Solar Research, Innovation, and Sustainability in Energy. It was formed to develop and test solar technologies in oil fields.

Researchers will focus on cutting costs and automating operations. The center also will pilot and evaluate solar energy uses for other industrial processes in Oman and worldwide.[19]

Awards
  • Platts Global Energy Awards 2011. Commercial Technology of the Year Award[20]
  • Oil & Gas Middle East Awards 2013. Enhanced Oil Recovery Award[21]
  • MEED Quality Awards 2014. Oman Sustainable Project of the Year[22]
  • MENASOL CSP Technology Innovation for MENA 2015[23]
  • Oil & Gas Middle East 2016. Best EOR Project of the Year [24]
  • SolarPACES 2016. Technology Innovation Award [25]
  • World Economic Forum 2016. Technology Pioneer [26]
  • Shell Upstream International 2016. Impact Award for Safety & Environment [27]
  • ADIPEC 2015. Best Oil & Gas Innovation or Technology [28]
  • MENASOL 2017. CSP Technology Innovation [29]
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See also

References
  1. Helman, Christopher. "Oil from the Sun". Forbes. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  2. Goossens, Ehren (3 October 2011). "Chevron Uses Solar-Thermal Steam to Extract OIl in California". Bloomberg. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  3. "GlassPoint Solar Raises $26M". PE Hub. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  4. Doom, Justin (8 September 2014). "Glasspoint Gets $53 Mln Financing Led by Shell, Oman". Bloomberg.
  5. https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/glasspoint-solar
  6. "GlassPoint Solar liquidated after oil and gas slump; India unveils low-cost parabolic troughs | New Energy Update". newenergyupdate.com. Retrieved 2020-06-25.
  7. "Shareholders force Glasspoint into liquidation". Solarthermalworld. 2020-05-27. Retrieved 2020-06-25.
  8. Cox, John. "Solar oil project debuts in Kern". The Bakersfield Californian. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  9. Mahdi, Wael (21 May 2013). "GlassPoint Solar Sees Interest from Middle East Oil Firms". Bloomberg. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  10. "Performance of an Enclosed Trough EOR system in South Oman" (PDF). SolarPACES. September 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  11. "Construction, Operations and Performance of the First Enclosed Trough Solar Steam Generation Pilot for EOR Applications" (PDF). Society of Petroleum Engineering. March 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  12. Helman, Christopher (8 July 2015). "Ironic Or Economic? Oil Giant To Build World's Largest Solar Project". Forbs. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  13. "Petroleum Development Oman and GlassPoint Announce Commencement of Steam Delivery From Miraah Solar Plan".
  14. "GlassPoint, PDO launch new tech centre". Times of Oman. Retrieved 2018-11-13.
  15. "Belridge Solar Announcement".
  16. "Unexpected Power Source". Washington Post.
  17. "GlassPoint, Occidental set to develop 2GW Oman solar plant". tradearabia.com. Retrieved 2018-11-13.
  18. "You are being redirected..." www.glasspoint.com. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  19. "You are being redirected..." www.glasspoint.com. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  20. "2011 Platts Global Energy Awards". Retrieved August 15, 2013.
  21. Winners of the OGME Awards 2013, Arabian Oil and Gas, retrieved June 27, 2014
  22. Oman Sustainable Project of the Year, Middle East Economic Digest, retrieved June 27, 2014
  23. Oman Sustainable Project of the Year, Zawya, retrieved July 9, 2015
  24. "Oil & Gas Awards". www.arabianoilandgas.com. Retrieved 2017-08-21.
  25. "Awards". www.solarpaces.org. Retrieved 2017-08-21.
  26. "World Economic Forum names GlassPoint a Technology Pioneer". us3.campaign-archive2.com. Retrieved 2017-08-21.
  27. "Shell awards GlassPoint and PDO". us3.campaign-archive1.com. Retrieved 2017-08-21.
  28. "Best Oil & Gas Innovation or Technology 2015 (ADIPEC)".
  29. "MENA New Energy 2017". MENA New Energy 2017. Retrieved 2017-08-21.
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