JPT Technology Minute: Select Technical Papers on Flaring and Emissions Challenges

I decided to focus on flaring and emissions for this edition of the JPT Technology Minute, and to provide you with some interesting reading material I selected—five papers published over the past couple of years that explore this issue.

First, paper SPE 191463 generally addresses advances in environmental awareness in our industry.

Then, I’d like to highlight papers on minimizing flaring, whether by process optimization (SPE 190601) or converting flare gas to fuel gas (SPE 193071).

The option of implementing changes in decision making (SPE 188748) is discussed as well, as is the question of how to achieve this goal in a liquid-rich shale field (SPE 191829).

I hope you will find time to read these thought-provoking papers, and also to consider three simple questions, the goal of which is to engage you with this important topic as you continue to read, and, ideally, benefit from, JPT:

1. Compared with 5 years ago, has your environmental awareness increased?

2. Are you actively involved in projects to reduce flaring and emissions?

3. What do you consider a reasonable target for the cut in emissions between now and 2050?

SPE 191463 Overview of Industry Advancements in Environmental Awareness

SPE 190601 Mission to End Emission: Flare Minimisation and Energy Conservation by Process Optimisation in NGL Fractionation Facility

SPE 193701 Reduce Emissions and Save Energy by Converting Flared Gases into Fuel Gases

SPE 188748 Reducing Operational Flaring through ALARP Based Decision Making

SPE 191829 Production Facility Emissions Reduction in Liquids-Rich Shales: An Update

Gerald Verbeek, Verbeek Management Services, has served as the SPE Oil and Gas Facilities’ technical paper editor since 2013. He can be reached at gverbeek@verbeekservices.com.