1170-MW(t) HTGR-PS/C plant application study report: heavy oil recovery application

Technical Report · Fri May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:5463007

Rao, R; McMain, Jr, A T

This report describes the application of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) which operates in a process steam/cogeneration (PS/C) mode in supplying steam for enhanced recovery of heavy oil and in exporting electricity. The technical and economic merits of an 1170-MW(t) HTGR-PS/C are compared with those of coal-fired plants and (product) oil-fired boilers for this application. The utility requirements for enhanced oil recovery were calculated by establishing a typical pattern of injection wells and production wells for an oil field similar to that of Kern County, California. The safety and licensing issues of the nuclear plant were reviewed, and a comparative assessment of the alternative energy sources was performed. Technically and economically, the HTGR-PS/C plant has attractive merits. The major offsetting factors would be a large-scale development of a heavy oil field by a potential user for the deployment of a 1170-MW(t) HTGR-PS/C; plant and the likelihood of available prime heavy oil fields for the mid-1990 operation.

• Research Organization: General Atomic Co., San Diego, CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AT03-76SF70046
• OSTI ID: 5463007
• Report Number(s): GA-A-16093; ON: DE82007027
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210300 -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Graphite Moderated
210900* -- Nuclear Power Plants-- Process Heat Reactors-- (-1987)
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ECONOMICS
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
GAS COOLED REACTORS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS
HTGR TYPE REACTORS
INDUSTRY
MINERAL RESOURCES
OIL FIELDS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
PROCESS HEAT REACTORS
REACTORS
RECOVERY
RESOURCES