View Full Version : Off gas flare from oil drilling
Green_not_greed
18-Jul-12, 20:04
Can anyone please explain why the gas flare from oil drilling is burned rather than captured and put to better use? Or used to provide a source of local heating?
Thanks
GNG
billmoseley
18-Jul-12, 20:05
fantastic question i have often wondered the same thing my self
I would hazard (pun intended) a guess that it's all down to cost but don't know for sure. That's a fact. ;)
George Brims
18-Jul-12, 21:41
I think it's just that there isn't enough gas coming out to justify the expense of a pipeline to shore, plus you probably wouldn't want to store it on the rig to await a tanker, on safety grounds.
I think it's just that there isn't enough gas coming out to justify the expense of a pipeline to shore, plus you probably wouldn't want to store it on the rig to await a tanker, on safety grounds.
In other words I was right? ;)
Bill Fernie
18-Jul-12, 22:15
More about gas flaring here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_flare
a (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_flare)nd - http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5349
Green_not_greed
18-Jul-12, 22:27
I think it's just that there isn't enough gas coming out to justify the expense of a pipeline to shore, plus you probably wouldn't want to store it on the rig to await a tanker, on safety grounds.
There is a huge on-shore flare at Caithness Oil in Lybster, which is what raised the question in the first place.
Green_not_greed
18-Jul-12, 22:37
More about gas flaring here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_flare
a (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_flare)nd - http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5349
Thanks Bill
Looks like its cost - certainly as far as off shore is concerned. I would have thought it would be easy to compress and store if coming on-shore though, like at Lybster. Would this be a way for the oil industry to benefit from "carbon credits" ? Would it be worth it financially if they were to be subsidised via the ROC system ? After all, it is throwing an obscene amount of money at the wind industry. Perhaps part of that could be offered?
George Brims
19-Jul-12, 19:17
In other words I was right? ;)
Well if I was, you were!
There is a huge on-shore flare at Caithness Oil in Lybster, which is what raised the question in the first place.
Sorry, I didn't realise you were referring to an on-shore flare.
Well if I was, you were!
Well I was wrong as it refers to an on-shore flare.
I'll bow (dis)gracefully out from this thread admitting I know zilch about science & leave it to the experts. :)
I'll bow (dis)gracefully out from this thread admitting I know zilch about science & leave it to the experts. :)
Don't let that stop you posting Moira, there are a lot of Members on here that know zilch about science but it doesn't stop them pretending to be experts.
C3.............:roll:;)
Don't let that stop you posting Moira, there are a lot of Members on here that know zilch about science but it doesn't stop them pretending to be experts.
C3.............:roll:;)
It won't stop me posting Corrie 3.
But on the occasions when I get it wrong I'll freely admit it. :)
Green_not_greed
19-Jul-12, 22:15
I would hazard (pun intended) a guess that it's all down to cost but don't know for sure. That's a fact. ;)
Moira yes you were right! My original questions didn't mention on shore or off shore, I was simply curious!
Moira yes you were right! My original questions didn't mention on shore or off shore, I was simply curious!
Thanks for that. I hope you get the answers you were looking for.
secrets in symmetry
19-Jul-12, 22:59
Can anyone please explain why the gas flare from oil drilling is burned rather than captured and put to better use? Or used to provide a source of local heating?
Thanks
GNGIIRC the quantity of gas wasted by burning-gas flares in the North Sea is comparable to the quantity of gas brought ashore (and then used for useful heating and power.)
This really is a dreadful contribution to global warming, and we as a nation should be ashamed of ourselves.
A flare is a necessity in a oil/gas processing facility.
It's primary function is for safety. No matter how technologically advanced we are, what comes out of the ground is governed by nature and so is primarily unstable. When a well is producing, the mixture of oil/gas/water varies and changes from one minute to the next.
If something goes wrong, or something unexpected happens, the safest thing to do is "empty" the plant. Get rid of the hydrocarbons, the explosive stuff, and make everything safe. Common sense. But releasing gas to atmosphere could result in explosions downwind. So for that reason, any "dangerous" gas is flared, or set on fire, to make it safe.
The flare must burn continuously because of the unpredictable nature of the wells. The actual gas flared during normal operations is a fraction of what is produced. Nonetheless, it is necessary to burn a "pilot flame" to protect the workforce and surrounding areas.
That is why a flare is necessary.
I can tell you for a fact that all offshore (and I assume onshore) gas processing plants have a "flare consent" license from DECC every year, limiting what they can burn. If they go over that limit, the face fines or shutdown orders. Many a night I've spent with my ear to a pipe trying to track down a leaking valve amongst hundreds. The companies take it seriously.
No oil company will deliberately burn gas for fun. Gas is expensive, and anything wasted is a cost.
Its for safety ...like a valve to release pressure when needed like a release valve on a pressure cooker ....it burns the gas off (steam release on pressure cooker)rather than blowing the top off!
bluechesse
22-Jul-12, 01:04
Correct-it's primarily for safety. Also, here has to be a flow of gas to flare at ALL times to prevent oxygen migrating in to the flare system, as this could cause a serious explosion. That flow of gas is always burned to prevent a build up of gas around the facility, and because burned gas is much less harmful to the environment than just releasing it to the atmosphere. Hence under normal circumstances the flare on oil platforms are always burning. Also provides a somewhere to put the gas if the compressors stop for some reason.
There are zero flaring technologies available, and many producers are moving towards zero flaring strategies.
It won't stop me posting Corrie 3.
But on the occasions when I get it wrong I'll freely admit it. :)
Well I got it wrong also Moira.
I always thought the flare is there so the Roughnecks have somewhere to warm their hands on cold days!!!
C3.............;)
There are zero flaring technologies available, and many producers are moving towards zero flaring strategies.
I've heard of these onshore, refineries, chemical plants etc, but not offshore. Do you know who/where they're doing this, I'd be interested to see what's involved.
The gas that comes off has to be captured then would be put through a liquefying process stored at extremely low temperatures. Even then once liquefied there is no guarantee that the quality of the gas would be good enough to sell to the public domain. The costs of this would more than likely outweigh the benefits, you can be pretty sure if there was a profit margin in it the drilling companies would be using it!
There should be no flare from drilling operations.Its production facilities that you see flaring
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