Systematic literature review on the potential of using solar photovoltaic to power sea water desalination on offshore petroleum facilities

The growing global demand for freshwater, coupled with the environmental impacts of fossil fuel dependence, has heightened the adoption of desalination as a solution to freshwater scarcity. However, this process relies on energy, often derived from unsustainable fossil fuels, posing challenges in remote and island communities as well as emissions. There is pressure on oil companies to prioritize renewable energy sources, thereby reducing their carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions. Most publications on the Energy transition within the conventional fossil-based industry focus on the development of renewable technologies rather than their application in operational processes. Systematic synthesis of existing literature on the subject forms the foundation for ideas and knowledge advancement. As published research in the area is expands, the demand for thorough and well-structured literature reviews become important than ever. Thus, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) for this review addressed the utilization of solar power for reverse osmosis desalination in general and particularly within the petroleum industry. Offshore solar resource applications, specific energy consumption, performance assessment, economic analysis of solar-powered reverse osmosis desalination systems, and remineralization of desalinated water was the focused. Notable research gaps include the scarcity of published work on solar-powered desalination in petroleum offshore facilities, and the lack of measured radiometric data offshore. Combined, offshore wind and solar can generate over three times more electricity monthly than hydropower. Hybrid wave and solar power systems offer stable and reliable electricity generation for offshore oil and gas platforms, reducing fluctuations and intermittency. On average, 3.85 kWh/m3 of energy is required to produce one cubic meter of permeate water in reverse osmosis systems. Key factors for evaluating the economics of such systems include salinity, freshwater cost, freshwater quality, power consumption, recovery ratio, feed flow, feed water pressure, brine flow, and brine salinity. • There is practically Non-existent measured radiometric data offshore. • There is high demand for Oil and Gas Companies to show commitment to the Green Energy agenda in Petroleum operations. • The average energy required for producing 1-meter cube of permeate water using SWRO is 3.85 kWh/m3. • Solar Powered Seawater Reverse Osmosis and Economic benefits on FPSO.