Gas Flaring and Venting Asia 2014
The 2014 Gas Flaring and Venting event that took place in Asia, more precisely in Dki Jakarta in Indonesia, was a milestone in the gas market given that it was the first meeting of that kind on the Asian continent. The event was organized in cooperation with the Global Gas Flaring Reduction Program (GGFR) which heavily supports the reduction of flared gas at a global level. Key partners were invited to share their ideas, concerns, and solutions in the booming and highly lucrative gas industry. The main topics and issues that were addressed were related to profit-making schemes whereby costs would be reduced through a more substantial approach to production and profits increased. At the same time, through technological advances, the climate change would be mitigated by reducing gas emissions accordingly. The event participants also dealt with estimates of cost efficiency by relying on technological tools which are targeted at gas emission and venting reductions.
In accordance with that, they also addressed the issue of how much profit would be generated through the wasted and potentially recovered gas. There were many proposals to provide solutions to minimize flared gas by proper and efficient investments schemes.
Regulations and laws play a significant role in the process, and the event organizers talked about amendments to laws and environmental and climate regulations which are aimed at ecological benefits. They tried to raise the awareness of participants in terms of compliance with the laws and the benefits they will earn if they respect the laws and regulations. Namely, the companies would have a better reputation on the market since safety and environmental protection appeal to many, which could eventually draw a bigger client base.
The irony is that more profits could be generated in the industry at a lower environmental expense if the companies and oil magnates would devote themselves to the cause.
Similarly, simply releasing the gas into the environment without flaring is also not ideal, or moreover; it is unacceptable. Releasing gas without flaring would represent a bigger safety threat and increase pollution. In that way, gas would be more prone to explode, and it can be uncontrollably blown by the wind to unwanted directions. Therefore, the GGFR represents the only true alternative to flared gas with the potential to create not only a better gas market, but also a better world with cleaner air and a healthier environment.
Gas Flaring
Before we move any further, it is important to define what is natural gas flaring. Flaring represents the controlled burning of natural gas which is a common practice in the process of oil/gas exploration, as well as production and processing operations. This system includes a flare stack and pipes which add gas to the stack.
Its size and brightness depend on both type and amount of gas or liquids within one flare stack. For that reasons, flares generate a certain amount of heat and noise. This means that the large flares can produce extreme noise due to the volume and velocity of the gas in the flare stack.
Flaring is regulated by Ohio EPA’s rules which address emissions of volatile organics from production operations at well sites as well as its processing units. This means that there are particular parameters for the installation, operation, and maintenance of flares which is a necessary element in the process of controlling emissions.
ODNR’s rules for oil and gas well sites also include the problem of flaring and have a prohibition on open venting of gasses to the atmosphere. Also, these rules require companies keep a safe distance between the wells and the flares as well as production tanks and inhabited structures. […]