Flaring
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Flaring is the process by which flammable natural gas is burned under controlled conditions during the production of crude oil or natural gas. The process is used for safety reasons (for example, to prevent fires or explosions), but the process also can be used for economic and well testing purposes. Venting is the process by which gas is released into the air without being burned and can be used for similar reasons as flaring. From the time an oil or gas well is drilled through the refining process, flammable gases can build up, resulting in unsafe conditions for those working in the area. Special equipment can measure gas levels, warn workers when levels become excessive, and force that excess gas to be flared or vented. Flaring and venting also can be used to burn off gas that cannot be sold either because there is not sufficient transportation infrastructure to move the natural gas to where it can be refined or consumed or because it is uneconomical to produce the gas. The processes are also used when drilling a well because flaring the gas can convey information about what is in a well. The processes of flaring and venting are regulated by both states and the federal government.[1][2][3][4][5]
Background
Natural gas has been flared or vented since the early days of petroleum production because there was not sufficient infrastructure for collecting and transporting the natural gas produced as a by-product. The first major gas pipeline was built in 1891 in the United States, although significant pipeline construction did not begin until after World War II. By 2016, around 98 percent of domestic natural gas was supplied through pipelines.[6][7]
Natural gas that is flared is composed mostly of methane, but other substances may be present, including carbon dioxide, water, hydrogen sulfide, and hydrocarbons like propane. These other substances are removed from natural gas at natural gas processing plants or facilities where natural gas is processed for use.[6]
Natural gas can be flared or vented at many stages throughout the oil and gas extraction and production process. Below are some examples of when flaring or venting may be used.[3][8]
- Flaring may be used at a well to test the pressure within a well and provide information about the composition of the oil or gas in the well.
- Flaring may be used at gas processing plants if the pressure within pipes or other equipment at the plant is too high. This excess natural gas is then diverted and flared or vented to prevent hazardous conditions that could result in fires or explosions.
- Natural gas must be compressed before it can be moved through pipelines. Flaring may be used to burn off water extracted from gas as that gas is compressed.
Types of flares
Several types of flares are used depending on the situation.[9]
- Solution gas flares are used to dispose of natural gas, which is recovered and transferred by pipelines to a processing facility. These flares are used at facilities where multiple wells are producing oil and gas.
- Gas plant flares are used to remove water, carbon dioxide, and natural gas liquids from raw natural gas. These flares also are used to dispose of any unusable gas. The gas plants that use these flares also burn off the gas safely in case of an emergency or during unsafe conditions.
- Well test flares are used during drilling and when oil and gas wells are tested. These flares are usually used to determine what kinds of fluid will be found in a well.
Flared and vented natural gas
In 2013, vented or flared natural gas was equal to less than 1 percent (0.87 percent) of the natural gas produced in the United States. Between 2004 and 2014, the amount of vented and flared natural gas in the United States had increased by 66.61 percent (96,408 million cubic feet or MMcf to 288,743 MMcf). The amount of annually vented and flared natural gas in million cubic feet (MMcf) from 2004 to 2014 is shown in the graph below.[10]
Energy in the 50 states
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See also
Footnotes
- ↑ International Association of Oil and Gas Producers, "Flaring & venting in the oil & gas exploration & production industry," January 2000
- ↑ U.S. Energy Information Administration, “Glossary – H,” accessed January 24, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 IPIECA, "Flaring classification," accessed September 26, 2016
- ↑ U.S. Energy Information Administration, "Flar [sic]," accessed September 26, 2016
- ↑ International Association of Oil and Gas Producers, "Flaring & venting in the oil & gas exploration & production industry," January 2000
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Union of Concerned Scientists, "Natural Gas Flaring, Processing, and Transportation," accessed September 26, 2016
- ↑ U.S. Department of Energy, "The History of Natural Gas," February 12, 2013
- ↑ Ohio EPA, Division of Air Pollution Control, "Understanding the Basics of Gas Flaring," November 2014
- ↑ Caliber Planning, "What is Flaring?" accessed April 6, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Energy Information Administration, "Natural Gas Gross Withdrawals and Production," May 31, 2016
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