Why we Flare the Gas?

What Is Gas Flaring in Oil and Gas Production: Why Is It Done, What Is Its Impact, and How to Reduce It

Introduction

Gas Flaring: Why Is This Practice So Common in Oil and Gas Production? Though the sight of flames at oil and gas facilities can be alarming, gas flaring is critical to understanding the operations of the energy industry today. To better understand this common but misunderstood aspect of hydrocarbon extraction, let’s explore the science of gas flaring following oil and gas production from subsurface reservoirs.

What is Gas Flaring?

Gas flaring is the controlled combustion of natural gas and is a common practice during oil and gas production operations. When the subsurface reservoirs of oil and gas are extracted, natural gas produced in association with the crude oil or the NGLs is usually co-produced. In the absence of infrastructure for consumption or transportation, excess natural gas is simply vented or flared by combusting the gas at the wellsite or processing plants.

Reasons for Gas Flaring

1. Safety and Emergency Pressure Relief

In case of similar emergency scenarios (for example well blowouts or equipment malfunctions) gas flaring is a safety measure to avoid uncontrolled releases of gas which could be followed by hazardous situations(rotation fire or explosions). Flaring also contributes to the reduction of potentially explosive gas in the gaseous environment by removing ignitable concentrations of gas from production facilities.

2. Pressure Control

Gas flaring is notably employed for maintaining pressure in the production system during operations, such as well testing, startup, or shut down. Flaring provides a safe method to dispose of surplus gas and prevents damage to production equipment and pipelines when operating under optimal conditions.

3. Routine Operations

Gas flaring sometimes occurs in routine oil and gas production operations, in accordance with normal operating procedures to control the gas production rates and achieve balance between the oil, gas, and water phases. Flaring allows operators to manage production flow rates, avoid damaging equipment, and improve production efficiency.

4. Lack of Infrastructure

Gas flaring may be the only feasible means of disposing of associated gas generated in conjunction with crude oil or NGLs in areas with insufficient natural gas infrastructure for use or transportation. Flaring is necessary as a temporary solution for operators to continue producing oil until the gas gathering system can be developed or alternatives to using the gas or developing it can be found.

Gas Flaring: Environmental and Social Impacts

1. Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Gas flaring emits carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) as well as other pollutants into the atmosphere, resulting in greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Reducing the intensity of flaring and improving gas capture technologies are important.

2. Air Pollution

The by-products generated from flaring include air contaminants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and particulate matter, leading to local air pollution and negative effects on air quality, human health, and surrounding ecosystems.

3. Resource Waste

Flared gas is a waste of a precious energy resource; instead of being smoke in the atmosphere, gas can be captured, processed, and used for power generation, industrial functions, or chemicals.

Reducing Gas Flaring Energy Playbook

The oil and gas industry (OGI), as well as governments and regulatory agencies, has been working on initiatives to reduce the volume of flare gas and increase gas and liquid recovery, with the aim of confronting the environmental and social impacts of flaring.

1. Flaring Reduction Targets

In addition, many oil-producing jurisdictions have adopted flaring reduction targets and enacted regulations to contain the flaring intensity, incentivize gas capture and stimulate investment in gas consumption infrastructure.

2. Technological Innovation

Technological advances in flare gas recovery technologies, including vapor recovery units (VRUs), flare gas capture systems, and gas-to-liquids (GTL) technologies, make it possible for operators to capture and utilize flared gas in a beneficial way instead of combusting it.

3. Utilization of Different Gases

Gas reinjection, liquefied natural gas (LNG) production, compressed natural gas (CNG) as transport fuel, and power generation for rural and off-grid communities are among the potentially viable alternatives.

Regulations and Policies

✔Governments and multinational organizations are putting stricter regulations in place to curb gas flaring, with incentives to make it happen. Here are some of the more notable initiatives:

✔The World Bank’s Global Gas Flaring Reduction (GGFR) Partnership, which works with governments and industry to reduce routine flaring.

✔Zero Routine Flaring by a pledge from oil-producing nations and companies to eliminate routine gas flaring over the next decade.

✔Carbon pricing and taxation, which punish too much flaring and incentivize the investment into gas-utilizing technologies.

Successful substantiated flare out case studies

1. Norway’s Regulatory Success

Some of the world’s lowest rates of gas flaring have been achieved in Norway, thanks to regulations that severely limit flaring, high taxes on flaring and a requirement that gas burners participate in plans to use all of the gas they extract. The country requires companies to reinject associated gas for oil recovery or to use it in power generation.

2. Nigeria’s Gas Flare Commercialization Program (NGFCP)

Nigeria is one of the countries with historically high flaring rate, and under the NGFCP, companies are incentivized to capture and commercialize flared gas. The program also supports investments into gas-to-power projects and into domestic gas utilization.

✔Outlook for Gas Flaring in the Future

✔While the oil and gas sector continues to evolve, here are a few trends impacting the future of gas flaring management:

✔As a result, More widespread usage of digital monitoring tools that enhances ability to track, optimize flaring.

✔Novel technologies that enhance gas capture and utilization processes.

✔Increased investment in renewable energy generation in an attempt to limit dependence on fossil fuel based power generation, and incorporate flared gas into sustainable energy solutions.

Conclusion

Gas flaring is a very widespread, but also controversial practice. It is popular in the oil and gas industry but also serves several operational, safety, and regulatory functions. Flaring is an important process in handling gas production and enabling safe and efficient operations at oil wells, but its practices can also lead to greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and waste of a valuable resource, which has become an increasingly challenging problem with shortages of land and water due to its effect on the environment and society. Addressing the Issue of Flaring Efforts to minimize the intensity of flaring include the implementation of complementary technologies and practices, such as gas capture technologies, Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques, or gas utilization.

With ongoing industry advancements, sustainable gas flaring solutions have the potential to be integral in attaining the equilibrium needed for energy generation, environmental remediation, and societal accountability within the ever-evolving sphere of hydrocarbon production.