What's Your Problem? Is the Future of Fresh Water Under the Sea?
Oct 30, 2025
Michael Porter, Chief Technology Officer of OceanWell, pioneers submerged desalination systems. He shares how he created a prototype right in his kitchen and the technical challenges of providing fresh water from the ocean floor. The discussion reveals how innovations from the oil and gas industry are making this ambitious project feasible. Michael also highlights environmentally friendly practices to protect marine life and outlines the economic viability of undersea desalination, aiming for significant water self-reliance and benefits by 2028.
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Leverage Ocean Pressure To Cut Energy Use
- Desalinating at deep sea depths uses ambient pressure to push water through membranes, reducing energy needs.
- This approach could cut capital and energy demands compared with onshore plants.
Built A Prototype In A Kitchen
- Michael Porter and two teammates built their prototype inside his partially finished kitchen and lived there while assembling it.
- They disassembled it to fit through the door, transported it, and reassembled it for reservoir testing.
Prototype Met Production Targets
- The kitchen-built machine produced over 150,000 gallons during reservoir trials, matching their models.
- That tested performance convinced the team their design works at their intended flow rates.