SPECIAL NOTICE
A -- TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY ENVIRONMENTALLY-COMPATIBLEFAST-FLOW PATH BLOCKING FOR ENHANCING GEOTHERMAL ENERGY SYSTEMS
- Notice Date
- 3/19/2018
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 238990
— All Other Specialty Trade Contractors
- Contracting Office
- Department of Energy, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (DOE Contractor), Industrial Partnerships & Commercialization, 7000 East Avenue, L-795, Livermore, California, 94550
- ZIP Code
- 94550
- Solicitation Number
- FBO373-18
- Archive Date
- 4/20/2018
- Point of Contact
- Connie L Pitcock, Phone: 925-422-1072
- E-Mail Address
-
pitcock1@llnl.gov
(pitcock1@llnl.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Opportunity : Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a collaborative partnership to further develop and commercialize its innovative colloidal silica technology. Background : A major drawback for current attempts to engineer geothermal systems using hydrofracturing is the creation of fast paths - high permeability zones that short-circuit flow and allow rapid movement of fluid from injection to production wells. As a consequence, the fluid is not able to acquire much heat during its reduced contact time, and the field produces less energy. Current methods to cement fast paths include use of common Portland cements, polymers and carbonate minerals. Colloidal silica has seen some applications in blocking fractures below leaking tank farms and applications in oil fields. However, these applications are often materials limited, which would not be the case for geothermal sites where the silica can be produced on-site at a significantly lower cost than that for commercial production facilities. Description : LLNL has a patented process to produce colloidal silica directly from geothermal fluids. Livermore's process uses membranes to produce a mono-dispense slurry of colloidal silica particles for which there are several applications. LLNL has demonstrated that colloidal silica solutions that result from extraction of silica from geothermal fluids undergo a transition to a solid gel over a range of time periods that are controllable by varying the silica content and pH of the fluid. This allows control in the subsurface over where the silica transforms to a gel and thus the ability to target gel emplacement to block the "fast path" as needed. Over long periods of time, the gel will re-structure and dehydrate to form microcrystalline silica, mineralogically identical to natural vein-filling agate. Environmental effect of emplacement of this material would therefore be minimal. Advantages : Colloidal silica harvested from geothermal fluids can be used as a cementing agent to preferentially reduce permeability and block fast paths in the subsurface allowing greater energy production from a geothermal power plant. Potential Applications : •1) 1) Blocking of fast paths in operations to recover oil and natural gas after hydrofracturing in tight shale gas formations for enhanced oil recovery. •2) 2) Blocking of fast paths in site remediation operations such as those to block leakage of contaminants from underground tanks or from leaking surface waste installations such as radioactive waste storage facilities. •3) U3) se in enhanced geothermal systems where hydrofracking has introduced unwanted fast paths that can be blocked by emplacement of the silica gel in the permeable zones. Development Status: LLNL has filed patent applications for our colloidal silica technology (13/722843 and 15/875183); LLNL internal case numbers (ILs-12326 A&B). This technology also leverages LLNL's silica extraction technology (US patent 8,840,859); LLNL internal case number (IL-11902). LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information. Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process. Note: THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT. Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's Colloidal Silica technology should provide a written statement of interest, which includes the following: 1. Company Name and address. 2. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact. 3. A description of corporate expertise and facilities relevant to commercializing this technology. Written responses should be directed to: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Innovation and Partnerships Office P.O. Box 808, L-795 Livermore, CA 94551-0808 Attention: FBO 373-18 Please provide your written statement within thirty (30) days from the date this announcement is published to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's Colloidal Silica technology.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOE/LLNL/LL/FBO373-18/listing.html)
- Record
- SN04859354-W 20180321/180319231339-7470c082ac072aa9ff74e6d7fa3758eb (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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