What are state standards for flaring? The sections of the Gulf of Mexico adjacent to Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama are exempt from the 1990 CAA amendments, and instead must adhere to MMS air quality standards. Any reinjection wells in the gulf? http://www.mms.gov/StrategicPlan/DOI_Perf2000_3_T.pdf MMS inspections 18,596, Flaring 314 ---------------------------- http://www.mms.gov/federalregister/PublicComments/Sub_A_Comments/subacomm.pdf 250.2 "Sensitive reservoir means a reservoir in which high reservoir production rates will decrease ultimate recovery. Initially, all oil reservoirs with an assoicated gas cap are classified as sensitive. --------------------------------------------------------------------- http://es.epa.gov/oeca/sector/sectornote/pdf/oilgas.pdf On land (and at many offshore operations) Natural gas is separated at the well site and is processed for sale if natural gas pipelines (or other transportation vehicles) are nearby, or is flared as a waste (at onshore operations only). Natural gas can be produced from oil wells (called associated gas), or wells can be drilled with natural gas as the primary objective (called non-associated gas). Methane is the predominant component of natural gas (approximately 85 percent), but ethane (10 percent), propane, and butane are also significant components. The heavier components, including propane and butane, exist as liquids when cooled and compressed; these are often separated and processed as natural gas liquids. When natural gas produced from the well is not sold or used on-site, it is usually flared, thereby releasing carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and possible sulfur dioxide if the gas is sour (see Section III.C. for more information on flaring). Flaring Although most gas emissions are minimized through prevention, flaring can be used to reduce the impact of gaseous releases that are unavoidable or are too small to warrant the cost of capture. Nearly all drilling rigs and production wells are equipped with a vent and flare to release unusual pressure, and some wells that produce only a small amount of natural gas will flare it when there is no on-site use for the gas (e.g., to power engines) and no pipeline nearby to transport the gas to market. Since natural gas has economic value, flaring it is usually a last resort. Approval of state regulatory agencies is required prior to flaring. When a gas is flared, it passes through the vent away from the well, and is burned in the presence of a pilot light. Although it is preferable to prevent the emission in the first place, flaring has benefits over simple venting of unburned material. First, by burning the gas, the health and safety risks in the vicinity of the well posed by combustible and poisonous gases like methane and hydrogen sulfide are reduced. Second, flaring reduces the potential contribution to climate change; methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, the primary product of the combustion. pg 119 The sections of the Gulf of Mexico adjacent to Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama are exempt from the 1990 CAA amendments, and instead must adhere to MMS air quality standards. These standards set limits for VOC, CO, NO2 , SO2 , and Total Suspended Particulate (TSP) pollutants, and requirelimits for sources that significantly affect the quality of a nonattainment area (30 CFR Part 250.45). Additional MMS air regulations apply to offshore sites. Blowout prevention regulations (in the form of safety practices and equipment requirements) attempt to reduce accidental releases. The venting and flaring of natural gas is limited under MMS rules so that natural gas may be released only when required for safety or when the volume is small (Sustainable Environmental Law and 30 CFR Part 250.175). ------------------------------------------ http://www.davidsuzuki.org/files/fuel_report.pdf According to the petroleum industry, the average upstream greenhouse as emission ratio for natural gas production is 367 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents per 1,000 cubic metres of natural gas. ------------------------------------ http://www.abb.com/global/NOABB/noabb071.nsf/viewunid/DF8831FB5763BC38C12568DA00218125/$file/Synergy_march00.pdf associated gas is used as fuel or reinjected, there will be no routine flaring. To avoid flaring of excess associated gas, a gas injection well has also been installed ------------------------------------------- http://www.ub.rug.nl/eldoc/dis/science/g.p.van.der.laan/c1.pdf Although the capital costs predominate, the cost price of natural gas is also an important factor in the overall process economics of GTL (Gas-To-Liquids) Fischer-Tropsch plants. Remote gas fields or natural gas associated with crude oil production has a low cost or a negative value as an undesired by-product. Reduction of flaring of associated natural gas and the unfavorable economics of gas reinjection make the Fischer-Tropsch process economically viable. FT derived fuels are easily transported in standard vessels or pipelines relative to natural gas and LNG. ------------------------------------------------- http://www.cdnoxy.com/ir/pdfs/annual98.pdf "Nigeria currently (1998) flares 75 per cent of its annual production of 1,200 billion cubic feet of gas. This is equivalent to 30 per cent of all gas flared worldwide."