WorldWide Drilling Resource

50 NOVEMBER 2016 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® In Memoriam Jon David “Dave” Fish (1953~2016) With a heavy heart, the Utah Ground Water Association said a fond farewell to Jon David “Dave” Fish, who passed away September 20, 2016, after a courageous battle with cancer. Dave grew up in Hunter, Utah, on the family farm. After high school, he continued to farm, and also went to work for Kennecott. Following a Kennecott layoff in 1985, he decided to pursue his education and returned to school, earning a business management degree. For the next 25 years, Dave tire- lessly worked in the pump and water industry where he made many lifelong friends at Mitchell Lewis & Staver. He had many joys in life, including coaching his son’s baseball teams, growing flowers in his greenhouse, hunting, and spending time with his children, grandchil- dren, and friends. Dave is survived by his two children who cared for him until the end, Lindsey (Geoff) and Daniel (Crystal); grandchildren Reagan and Jackson; sisters Barbara and Karen; and many cousins. The management and staff of WWDR extend their condolences to Dave’s family, friends, and colleagues. Lest we forget... Getting Energized Compiled by W r dWid Drill es r o l e ing R ou ce ® Solar power is arguably one of the cleanest, most reliable forms of renewable energy available, and it can be used in numerous ways to help power homes and businesses. Solar-powered panels convert the sun's rays into electricity. Oil companies using steam-driven Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), now have a cheaper and greener option. Instead of using natural gas to generate steam, there is new technology utiliz- ing solar power. Giant mirrors focus sunlight onto a pipe con- taining water. The heat from the concentrating sunlight boils the water to produce steam, the steam can then be injected into an oil well. Regions wi th a rel iable source of open space and sun- shine, are capitalizing on this power produced by the sun. The EOR process uses steam to loosen thick oil, causing vis- cosity to drop, making it easier to pump to the surface. One of the key benefits of the system is it removes the need for gas in the oil production process. Using steam which has been produced by solar technology, companies can produce a substantial amount of the total annual EOR project needs in sunny regions and lower the amount of natural gas used by matching a percentage. The company behind this new technology, GlassPoint Solar has major plans. In November of 2015, they began the Oman project, named Miraah, which will be one of the world's largest solar thermal plants. The project is currently under construction, with steam generation expected to begin next year. Keep a lookout, this new process is making major strides in the oil production process.