Emissions Sources at Oil & Gas Production Facilities
Natural gas is a proven bridge fuel to a net-zero future and a sustainable global economy, but it has come under fire as a contributor to climate change because methane has proven to be 80 times more potent of a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
Consequently, reducing fugitive emissions of natural gas has become a focal point for leading upstream and midstream operators. In fact, the U.N. Global Methane Assessment found that “…the fossil fuel sector has the greatest potential for targeted mitigation by 2030.”
There are myriad oil & gas emissions sources on a well site, production pad or facility.
Some of the primary emissions sources include:
Venting and flaring of tank vapors to the atmosphere. Gas that evolves from produced oil and water at an oil production well site can be a major source of emissions.
Faulty thief hatches on above ground storage tanks. Opening hatches on storage tanks for manual gauging and sampling not only release emissions to the atmosphere, but they are also a potential hazard to field workers. Forgetting to close a hatch properly can be a significant emissions source if left open for an extended period.
Gathering line leaks. Damage to gathering lines can cause fugitive emissions, but more likely are leaks from equipment along the line from worn compressor seals and other equipment (see below).
Aging seals on pumps, valves, controllers, pneumatic devices and compressors. Worn seals on equipment are a common source of fugitive emissions.
Truck loading operations. When filling oil tanks on a truck occurs, the liquid displaces vapors that have accumulated in the empty or partially filled tank, generating emissions.
Unloading produced water tanks. Because separation is not 100% efficient, produced water typically contains quantities of both oil and natural gas. The entrained hydrocarbons come out of solution, accumulate in the water storage tanks and can be released to the atmosphere if hatches are not secured and/or when the water is transferred to a vehicle for disposal.
Abandoned wells. Abandoned and orphaned wells can be significant sources of emissions, although little is known about the true extent is of these emissions sources.
Tank cleaning operations. Cleaning and maintaining oil and water storage tanks involve evacuation of all hydrocarbons from the vessels for safety. This practice can result in significant release of emissions to the atmosphere.
The multiple potential emissions sources and unpredictability of events makes quick leak identification and location a challenging task.
Continuous emissions monitoring for methane and VOCs is considered the best practice for reducing fugitive methane emissions at oil and gas production and storage facilities.
In our white paper The Case for Continuous Emissions Monitoring we cover energy trends, the sources of methane leaks, the value of emissions monitoring solutions and why continuous emissions monitoring for methane is the best practice for mitigating emissions at oil and gas production facilities and midstream operations.
About Earthview
Earthview is your partner on the journey to net zero. Our affordable precision air quality monitoring solutions provide the highest return on investment on emissions detection. BluBird sensors are operating reliably in multiple oil and gas producing regions for leading operators in Colorado, the Permian Basin, the Barnett Shale and the Appalachian Basin.
We deliver actionable results at a fraction of the price of competing offerings. More information is available on our website at Earthview.io.
Contact
Earthview Corporation
Bear Givhan
CEO and Co-Founder
E: Bear@Earthview.io
T: (303) 438-8574