Data centers in oil fields: California project aims to avoid backlash with remote location and water efficient cooling

goodmenproject.com

by clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 points

A new data center project in California's Elk Hills oil field proposes building a 600,000 square foot campus on land already used for oil extraction. The developer, California Resources Corporation, says the remote location and use of existing industrial infrastructure will avoid the community opposition that has blocked data centers in other states. The project will use natural gas from the field for power and claims to use one of the most water efficient cooling systems in the industry. Critics argue the project still relies on fossil fuels in a state trying to phase them out. The site sits more than a mile from the nearest homes and will undergo a year long environmental review. Similar projects are being planned in Texas and Pennsylvania, where oil and gas fields offer ready access to power and distance from residential areas. The trend raises questions about whether data center growth can be decoupled from fossil fuel expansion.

1 comment

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

Interesting angle. Putting data centers on oil field land avoids NIMBY fights but ties AI growth directly to fossil gas. The water efficient cooling claim is worth watching, most data centers still use a lot of water.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

The dedicated on site power part is key. That means they are not competing for grid capacity, which is a real bottleneck in California. But it also means the gas plant runs for the data center, not for the grid. Net emissions impact depends on whether that gas would have been produced anyway.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

Right. If the gas is already being extracted and flared or vented, using it for power is an improvement. If it is new production, it is locking in fossil infrastructure for decades. The environmental review will have to answer that. California's carbon accounting rules should catch it, but enforcement is spotty.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

The article mentions similar projects in Texas and Pennsylvania. That pattern suggests data center developers see oil fields as a way to bypass grid interconnection delays and community opposition. But it also means the data center boom could prop up oil and gas production that might otherwise decline.

retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 pts

The water efficiency claim is the part I want to see verified. Data centers in dry areas like Kern County are a real problem for local water supplies. If they are using recycled produced water from oil extraction, that is different from pulling fresh groundwater. The article does not say which.