Zero Flaring

What is Zero Flaring?

The definition of Zero Flaring depends on the actual

facilities and geographical area:
1) The most common meaning
of Zero Flaring is utilisation of
oil-associated gas, i.e. reduce
or eliminate production flaring.
2) In the North Sea area, Zero
Flaring means absolute no
flaring; closed flare.
3) In some cases, Zero Flaring
means recompression of LP
separator gas (which is
otherwise flared).
 ”Options” for handling waste gas:
- degrees of sophistication

• Fugitive emissions
• Venting
• Continuous Flaring
• Flare Gas Recovery
• Zero Flaring
• Zero Flaring with optimised product / energy
recovery
 Fugitive Emissions and Venting

• Fugitive emissions - are uncontrolled emissions largely

due to leakage from equipment and piping.

• Venting - commonly from pressure relief in storage

tanks, particularly during filling of tanks (displacement
+ flashing).
These have :-
 Significant cause of hydrocarbon losses.
 High uncertainty in emission data.
 Uncombusted hydrocarbons like Methane, VOC, H2S.
 Continuous Flaring

• Widely practised standard

• Hydrocarbon energy losses
• CO2 emissions.
• Incomplete combustion
 Methane emissions
 CO, NOx, SOx,
 H2S, aerosols, heavier HC’s (smoke)

• Frequent flare tip replacement

 Basic Prerequisites for Zero flaring

a) A mechanism for closing the flare line (or

vent).
b) Means of delivering the gas to some receiver.
c) A facility for receiving or utilizing the gas.
d) System for opening the flare line and igniting
the flare when required.
 Zero Flaring Systems-
General characteristics
• Common utilisation options: fuel gas, re-injection,
export
• Flare gas booster usually central – blower, ejector,
various compressors
• Flare closure
 FOV & bursting disc or Liquid seal arrangement
 Inert / sweep gas to prevent air ingress in flare line
• Reliable ignition system required
• Emissions reductions beside CO2- NOx, SOx, VOC,
aerosols, smoke, noise
• Increased flare-tip lifetime
Zero Flaring Solutions
 Ejectors

Ejectors (also referred to as Surface Jet Pumps, Eductors

or Venturi’s) provide a simple, robust and reliable method
of pumping and boosting the pressure of fluids.

The operation is based on Bernoulli’s principle, whereby

by increasing the velocity of a fluid as it passes through
the nozzle, a low pressure region is created within
the Ejector. This region entrains and compresses the
secondary LP stream which we call the suction fluid.
As the combined HP and LP streams pass through the
Ejector’s diffuser section, the velocity decreases and
the pressure is regained, resulting in an intermediate
pressure, which lies somewhere between the LP and HP
inlet pressures.
 Why Choose Flare Gas Ejectors?
• Emission of greenhouse gases to atmosphere eliminated
• Waste gas compression of up to 90:1 in a single Ejector stage
• Potential reduction in tax liability
• Waste gas is recovered and added to production
• Often no running costs because existing energy can be used to
• power the Ejector
• Ejectors have no moving parts
• No maintenance (very attractive for remote installations)
• Simple to install as part of the existing pipework system
• Low cost option, significantly cheaper than alternative technologies
• Safe, reliable operation
• Performance easily modified to suit changing conditions with
• Easy to control, using standard techniques
• Ejectors can be performance tested prior to despatch
 Driving Ejectors
Ejectors operate with either a gas or a liquid as the high
pressure motive fluid. In many cases, only a small
compression is required to facilitate waste gas re-entry
into the production process.
Gas motivated Ejectors offer a compression of 7:1 in a
single stage. This can be further boosted with the use
of a secondary Ejector shown on the next page.
Liquid driven Ejectors offer compressions of up to 90:1.
Where water is used to drive an Ejector, facilities can
often provide available separator capacity to handle
the discharge water.
 Micro turbines
Microturbines are small gas-fired turbines that produce electricity.

Microturbines can burn natural gas that would otherwise be flared. The
electricity is used to provide power for industry operations (such as
pumping, compression or gas processing) or sold to the regional grid. In
co-generation applications, the microturbines also produce steam for
industry operations or nearby activities such as drying grain or heating
greenhouses.

Microturbines came on the market in the late 1990s. In 1999, the Alberta
government announced it would waive royalties on natural gas used for
electricity or steam generation if the gas would otherwise be flared. This
could be accomplished using microturbines because they have few moving
parts, low maintenance requirements, and can burn low quality gases
including some sour gas.
Single wall carbon nano tubes
(SWCNT)

(SWCNT)