Routine flaring

Production flaring at a crude oil extraction sites offshore from Vietnam in the South China Sea.

Routine flaring, also known as production flaring, is a method and current practice of disposing of large unwanted amounts of associated petroleum gas (APG) during crude oil extraction. The gas is first separated from the liquids and solids downstream of the wellhead, then released into a flare stack and combusted into Earth's atmosphere (usually in an open diffusion flame). Where performed, the unwanted gas (mostly natural gas dominated by methane) has been deemed unprofitable, and may be referred to as stranded gas, flare gas, or simply as "waste gas". Routine flaring is not to be confused with safety flaring, maintenance flaring, or other flaring practices characterized by shorter durations or smaller volumes of gas disposal.[1]: 1 [2]

Over 145 billion cubic metres (5 trillion cubic feet) of natural gas is estimated to have been flared worldwide during year 2018.[3] The majority of this was routinely flared APG at thousands of well sites, and is a waste amount equal to the natural gas usage of South and Central America. The largest seven practitioners since 2014 are Russia, Iraq, Iran, the United States, Algeria, Venezuela and Nigeria.[4] Activity in remote regions of Russia is greatest, with political conflict elevating the levels in other countries. The U.S. contributed nearly 10% of the 2018 world total.[5]

Routine flaring, along with intentional gas venting and unintentional fugitive gas emissions, have profound negative consequences. The wasting of a primary resource provides no present economic or future wealth benefits, while creating liabilities through the build up of greenhouse gases and other harmful pollutants in the biosphere.[6][7] With most forecasts showing oil and gas use increasing into the foreseeable future, the World Bank in 2002 launched the international Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnership (GGFRP); a public-private partnership with the aim of retiring the wasteful practice.[8] In 2015, it further launched the Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 Initiative; endorsed by 32 countries, 37 companies, and 15 banking institutions by the end of 2019.[9] Endorsers based in the U.S. were the U.S. Federal Government, the State of California, and the World Bank. Global data spanning 1996-2018 indicate that flared gas volumes fell 10%, while oil production rose 40%.[10]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference DOE-GFV-2019 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "IPIECA - Resources - Flaring Classification". International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA). Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  3. ^ "Increased Shale Oil Production and Political Conflict Contribute to Increase in Global Gas Flaring". World Bank. 12 June 2019.
  4. ^ "Top 30 Flaring Countries (2014 –2018)" (PDF). World Bank. June 2019.
  5. ^ "Natural Gas Gross Withdrawals and Production Data". U.S. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  6. ^ "Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnership". World Bank. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  7. ^ Zoheir Ebrahim and Jörg Friedrichs (3 September 2013). "Gas flaring - the burning issue". resilience.org. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  8. ^ "Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnership". United Nations. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  9. ^ "UN Climate Initiatives Platform - Zero Routine Flaring by 2030". United Nations. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  10. ^ "Global gas flaring and oil production (1996-2018)" (PDF). World Bank. June 2019.