Adapting oilfield technologies for new energy sources and emissions storage can help address the energy transition’s demand challenges and support emissions mitigation
Global demand for alternative energy continues to accelerate. By 2030, research estimates that sources such as geothermal and hydrogen will provide a significant percentage of global power generated.
Oilfield technologies adapted for new energy sources and emissions storage could help solve the energy transition's demand challenges with more than 100 years of subsurface experience. Halliburton's low carbon solutions include CCUS, geothermal, hydrogen, and critical minerals to help meet the demand for alternative energy. These technologies help operators find and produce new energy sources and assist with emissions mitigation and storage.
Oilfield service companies developed technologies to help extract energy resources from the earth's surface, whether the operator targets oil, geothermal steam, or minerals. Artificial lift technologies first debuted in the oilfield to recover oil from mature reservoirs and are now used to help extract other resources as well.
Geothermal provides a low-cost, around the clock source of energy. Today, it's more accessible in a wider range of locations due to advanced and enhanced geothermal systems and technology advancements. For example, artificial lift tools such as Halliburton's GeoESP® pumping systems operate in extreme temperatures and minimize input power costs.
Consumer demand for laptops, mobile devices, and electric vehicles - all powered by lithium batteries - has led to increased mining operations globally for critical minerals. Traditional mining requires the removal of layers of earth to reach the minerals for processing. Mining for lithium via drilled wells reduces environmental impacts. MineESP™ submersible borehole and surface pumps manage water in mining operations, such as the extraction of critical minerals.
New energy infrastructure may also produce CO2 emissions that require underground storage and containment. Oilfield service companies developed well construction, planning, and design technology to find, drill, and cement oil wells. As new opportunities emerged, Halliburton adapted these tools into solutions suitable for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) applications. Some of these technologies include:
CCUS and hydrogen storage projects pose significant containment challenges due to the nature of CO2 and hydrogen. CO2 corrosion and H2 migration can cause plumes to escape the containment area if operators fail to use the correct metallurgy and cement formulations. In addition, advanced completion and monitoring tools are required to contain hydrogen due to its small molecule size and minimize embrittlement, which can create containment challenges. These tools and technologies started in the oilfield, which required the isolation of production reservoirs from other zones and the ability to protect the reservoir's integrity.
As alternative energy sources gain momentum, byproduct storage also poses challenges to energy producers. Similar to CO2 and hydrogen storage, which require safe, effective, long-term sequestration. In response to this need, Halliburton is collaborating with Norsk Kjernekraft to explore new ways to drill and cement storage sites for nuclear byproducts that would otherwise pose environmental hazards.
To learn more about Halliburton's portfolio of low carbon solutions, visit www.halliburton.com/lcs.
