Opportunities for CO2 equivalent emissions reductions via flare and vent mitigation: A case study for Alberta, Canada

Abstract

a b s t r a c tGlobal flaring and venting of gas associated with petroleum production is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and airborne pollutants that has proven difficult to mitigate. This work examines the technical and economic potential for flaring and venting mitigation in a mature oil and gas producing region of the world. Using detailed monthly production data spanning the years 2002-2008 for 18,203 active production facilities, combined with geographic information system pipeline data, reservoir gas composition data, and cost data derived from industry sources, a case study was constructed to explore the technical and economic viability of further mitigation of flaring and venting associated with upstream oil and gas production in Alberta, Canada. Calculations were performed to evaluate the feasibility of mitigation via collection and compression of gas into pipelines to connect into existing pipeline networks. Four main calculation scenarios were considered, and for each, a series of Monte-Carlo analyses were performed to evaluate uncertainties and sensitivities to key calculation parameters. In all scenarios, the results reveal potentially significant opportunities for economically viable flare and vent mitigation that would yield substantial reductions in CO 2 equivalent emissions. Because of the highly skewed distribution of gas volumes flared and vented at individual facilities, the results also show that solutions for comparatively small numbers of the largest facilities can offer large reductions in overall emissions from the sector. These results suggest that in a concerted effort to minimize carbon emissions in the upstream oil and gas industry, there is potential for significant near-term reductions using existing technology while research and development continues on more advanced methods such as carbon capture and storage.

Methane emissions from contrasting production regions within Alberta, Canada: Implications under incoming federal methane regulations

“…CHOPS wells produce water, sand, oil, and associated gas, which get separated at the surface via battery production facilities. Excess associated gas, deemed uneconomic to capture or re-inject, is typically flared or vented at these batteries (Johnson and Coderre, 2012; Figure 1: Survey locations in Alberta, Canada. Major geological formations are shown.…”

Bottom-up simulations of methane and ethane emissions from global oil and gas systems 1980 to 2012

“…To complete the picture of methane and ethane emissions from oil and gas systems, emissions from intended flaring and venting of associated gas, must be complemented with emissions from unintended leakage of gas during oil and gas production, processing, transmission and distribution, e.g. leakage from compressor seals, well restimulation, and natural gas processing facilities (Johnson and Coderre 2012). Default emission factors for methane from these sources are available from IPCC (2006, volume 2, section 4.2, tables 4.2.4 and 4.2.5) and are reproduced in table SI-5.1 of the supplementary material.…”

Flared Gas Emission Control from an Oil Production Platform

“…4 The flared activity reportedly produces 281 million tons of CO 2 emissions annually, which is a few million tons higher than the forecasted CO 2 emissions from Malaysia and Indonesia coal fired power plants by 2020. 5,6 This flared activity would adversely offset the expected environmental relieve from the in-situ mineralisation of carbon dioxide or other noble approaches in preserving the environment. 7 In addition, the impurities and the toxic particles and gases such as H 2 S released into the atmosphere, with or without flaring, would pose a significant health hazard to living beings.…”

“…9 The other method that would add value to the waste gas include methane enrichment/separation from CO 2 using physical adsorption such as pressure swing adsorption, mineralisation and membranes, collection and compression of gas into pipelines for processing and sale, generation of electricity or co-generation of heat and electricity using conventional gas turbines, micro turbines, or other gasfired engines, and compression-reinjection of the gas back into an underground reservoir. 5,7,[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] In Samarang oil platform (KNDP-A platform) of Talisman Malaysia Limited (TML), there is a need to increase its current oil production that will result in increase of the associated gas from 21 mmscfd to 31 mmscfd. The current low pressure (LP) gas system on the platform is designed to accommodate up to 21 mmscfd of gas.…”