SLB collaborates with Oman agencies to advance geothermal resource development

SLB is collaborating with Oman’s Ministry of Energy and Minerals and the Oman Investment Authority in building a national strategy to develop the potential of Oman’s geothermal resources.

The announcement follows the completion of an extensive project to evaluate data from more than 7,000 oil, gas and water wells, with the objective of mapping sweet spots for geothermal prospects in the country, the company said in a statement.

Commissioned by the Omani authorities, the SLB experts assessed surface, subsurface and well data from the national data repository over a three-month period.

“Geothermal is one of the world’s most promising clean energy resources, and it has a crucial role to play in reaching net-zero targets,” said Gavin Rennick, president of SLB’s New Energy business. “Using digital technology solutions to assess geothermal resource potential can accelerate prospectivity analysis and, ultimately, the delivery and performance of geothermal installations. We are excited to work with the Ministry of Energy and Minerals and the Oman Investment Authority to explore decarbonisation pathways for Oman.”

In the initial phase of the collaboration, SLB’s GeothermEx multidisciplinary geothermal consulting team used a proprietary AI solution to expedite assessment, sorting, and evaluation of the huge volume of data from the Oman Oil & Gas Data Repository (OGDR), and delivered a comprehensive assessment of Oman’s geothermal potential, the company said.

The next phase will include assessment of the economic feasibility of the development of potential geothermal resources.

“This collaboration between the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Oman Investment Authority and SLB is in line with Oman’s efforts to decarbonise the energy sector, achieve its Net Zero goal, and implement Oman Vision 2040,” said HE Salim Al Aufi, the Omani Minister of Energy and Minerals.

“Building on existing country data and infrastructure, this collaboration will create opportunities by utilizing the latest technologies in the field of geothermal exploration and ramp up activities in Oman’s clean energy stream. We are glad to work with SLB given the extensive global experience in this field,” he added.