Small Modular Nuclear Reactors and the Opportunity for the Petroleum Industry

Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMNRs) are an emerging class of Nuclear Reactor that are smaller and more flexible than conventional Nuclear Power Plants. Early analysis of SMNRs has shown that these reactors are well matched to the demand profile of oil and petroleum processing presenting a potentially viable, carbon-free supply of process heat and electricity. Many SMNR designs make use of innovative technology that allows them to provide high-grade heat while remaining flexible enough to integrate into either existing or new operations. This paper will introduce SMNRs and how they could be used to support the heat and power needs of the oil and petroleum industry. This will include an overview of various SMNR technologies and the current state of the industry as well as an examination of potential uses of an SMNR for typical oil and petroleum processes including resource extraction, processing, and refining. Consideration will also be given to an economic comparison of SMNRs to incumbent technologies to highlight the potential value of SMNR deployment to the oil and petroleum industries.