GlassPoint Solar, a leader in solar enhanced oil recovery (EOR), is establishing a new office in Kuwait City and has appointed Abdul Hussain Shehab as country chairman.

With more than 40 years of experience in Kuwait’s upstream oil and gas industry, Shehab will lead the company’s expansion in the country.

Shehab was previously managing director and CEO of Al-Dorra Petroleum Services Company and prior to that served as the deputy managing director of Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) overseeing the West Kuwait Fields.

Thermal enhanced oil recovery (EOR), or steam injection, is the leading method of producing heavy oil. In thermal EOR, high-pressure steam is injected into the reservoir making the oil easier to pump to the surface, boosting well productivity by up to 300 percent.

Planned thermal EOR projects in North Kuwait and the Neutral Zone will require burning significant amounts of costly fuel oil or imported natural gas to generate steam. Using the sun’s energy to produce steam could supply the majority of Kuwait’s thermal EOR needs, freeing valuable gas and fuel resources for higher value uses. Emissions-free solar steam will also improve local air quality, the statement said.

“As we’ve proven in Oman, solar steam is a viable alternative to natural gas for EOR. This is especially relevant to Kuwait because meeting Kuwait’s goals for heavy oil production will require burning more natural gas for EOR than Kuwait currently burns for power generation,” said Rod MacGregor, CEO of GlassPoint. “Kuwait represents one of the largest market opportunities for solar powered oil production worldwide and Hussain’s experience with its national oil company and international partners will extend our leadership in the region.”

GlassPoint’s expansion follows a successful milestone in Oman, where its project with Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) recently surpassed one year of operations, exceeding steam production targets. The 7MWt system deploys GlassPoint’s enclosed trough technology, which seals large parabolic mirrors inside a glasshouse. The structure protects the solar collectors from sand and dust and is equipped with a proven, automated washing unit to maintain performance in harsh desert environments. - TradeArabia News Service