A characterization of solution gas flaring in Alberta.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Engineering
• Petroleum Engineering
• Atmospheric Science

Background:

• Solution gas flaring and venting are significant sources of emissions from oil and bitumen extraction.
• Understanding the characteristics of flared and vented gas is crucial for effective environmental management.
• Alberta's 1999 data provides a comprehensive snapshot of these emissions from numerous production sites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze data on flared and vented solution gas in Alberta for the year 1999.
• To characterize flaring and venting practices to improve the management of solution gas emissions.
• To identify key factors influencing gas volumes, composition, and variability for mitigation strategies.

Main Methods:

• Detailed analysis of 1999 data from 4499 oil and bitumen batteries reporting flaring or venting.
• Quantification of total flared and vented gas volumes (1.42 billion m³).
• Assessment of site-to-site variations in gas volumes, composition, and flare design, including monthly variability.

Main Results:

• Significant variation exists in gas volumes, composition, and flare design across different sites.
• Approximately 5% of batteries were responsible for 35.7% of the total flared and vented gas.
• Over 40% of sites exhibited steady monthly gas volumes (≤100% deviation); larger batteries showed less monthly variability.

Conclusions:

• Focusing mitigation efforts on the largest flaring/venting sites offers the most efficient approach to reduce overall emissions.
• The relative steadiness of monthly gas volumes at many sites, particularly larger ones, supports the feasibility of alternative gas utilization technologies.
• Understanding well-site specific gas composition variability is essential for optimizing any emission reduction strategies.