A subsea power source for offshore oil production

Power, up to 2.5 kw, can be produced utilizing the thermal differences between the ocean and the crude oil. This power source is designed to operate, monitor and control systems at individual wellheads. Communication with a master control center is accomplished acoustically thereby eliminating the need for subsea electrical cables and connectors. The concept was analyzed using established relationships for heat transfer, scale deposits, and thermal conductivity. A computer program performed the iterative computations required. The system has shown to be technically feasible. Actual application would require a specific analysis for the situation considered including an economic evaluation which was not performed as a part of this study.