Alternative Technologies to Gas Flaring - Dissertation Example

? Topic:  Alternatives technologies to Gas flaring The gas flaring and venting is a big environmental threat and considered to be a big risk for greenhouse gas emissions. From the past few decades, the scientists and environmentalists are aiming to provide means and resources to improve the efficiency of technology by reducing its harmful effect on the atmosphere. Several technologies have been developed and presented into the market to reduce the emission of unfriendly-environmental gases like Carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane. Introduction: Gas flaring is an activity of combusting gas not required in chemical plants, refineries and landfills. The gas is emerged due to the drilling of oil and then separated from oil; it is released by pressure relief valves through vertical pipes. Gas flared through combustion affects the green house gases up to a considerable extent. The flaring and venting of gas from oil drills plays a very important role in emissions of greenhouse gas. The emission of greenhouse gas was at peak during 1970s around 110 million metric tons per year but it has been declined since then by more than three quarters and now estimated around 0.5% of all carbon dioxide emissions. As per the Kyoto Protocol, a carbon bonus had been announced for garbage collecting companies in some developing nations for installing combustion devices for the methane gas. These devices will help in preventing methane to reach the atmosphere by burning it. The burning effect converts the methane into water, carbon dioxide (CO2) and heat. As methane is twenty three times more powerful than carbon dioxide, it will also help in reducing greenhouse gas emissions with the same proportion. The gas flared and vented during the drilling process is very worth while and can be used for various purposes. According to a report by World Bank, "Over 150 billion cubic meters of natural gas are flared or vented annually, an amount worth approximately 30.6 billion dollars, equivalent to 25 percent of the United States’ gas consumption or 30 percent of the European Union’s gas consumption per year." The flaring and venting is condensed within some countries. According to the Wikipedia, "10 countries account for 75% of emissions, and twenty for 90%. The largest flaring operations occur in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The leading contributors to gas flaring are (in declining order): Nigeria, Russia, Iran, Algeria, Mexico, Venezuela, Indonesia, and the United States.[6] In spite of a ruling by the Federal High Court of Nigeria (that forbade flaring) in 2005, 43% of the gas retrieval was still being flared in 2006. It will be prohibited by law as of 2008." Research Topic: The effects of gas flaring on the environment and to find alternative techniques to reduce its impact on green house gas emissions. Research Objectives / Purpose of study: The research objectives include some overall objectives that will be generalized and also some specific quantitative objectives as discussed under: To identify the risks associated with excessive gas flaring; To identify factors that influence the high and accelerated rate of greenhouse gas emission; To explore past trends of gas flaring; To identify strategies that have been implemented around the world to reduce gas flaring effect; To research and evaluate the possible alternate technologies that can be used to reduce the effect of gas flaring on the environment; & To identify the finest and environment-friendly technology for the purpose of gas flaring. Expected Outcome: The expected outcome of this research work is to achieve all the research objectives stated above by testing the authentic and established approaches used previously for reducing emission of gas flaring and venting. Literature Review: According to the Fuel for thought: an environmental strategy for the energy sector (a report from the Environment Department of World Bank, 2000), there are many reasons of gas flaring and venting. The most significant one is the lack of resources to utilize the gas emitted during the drilling process. Lots of investment is required to make that gas useful and its transportation to the relevant markets. The developing countries that are rich in oil and petroleum do not put much effort for environmental problems as they have no resources to consider this issue. The report also stated the importance of reducing gas flaring effect on the environment as: “Gas flaring and venting are or environmental concern because of their contribution to atmospheric emissions greenhouse gases, especially Carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane, which contribute to climate change. Gas flaring and venting also cause some localized pollution and are strongly perceived in some localities to be responsible for a variety of medical conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, skin and breathing problems.” The report also stated its objectives to cut carbon emissions in order to reduce gas flaring effect. It also planned required actions as improving dialogues with oil producing countries, providing infrastructure to utilize and transport the gas and providing assistance to gas flaring projects. The Greenhouse gas control technologies proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies contains the proceedings of 5th International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Technologies held in August 2000. The Conference focused on the geological storage of CO2, capture of CO2, ocean storage of CO2, utilization of CO2, storage of CO2 with enhanced hydrocarbon recovery, alternative energy carriers and energy efficiency. The Conference also reviewed the projects undertaken by BHP under the Greenhouse Challenge Program. 1. Steel making Technology: An efficient blast furnace had been installed in Port Kembla Steelworks. It replaced two small furnaces and improved efficiency. The proceedings stated that : “The Capital cost of the furnace was $416M and the savings in greenhouse gas emissions relative to the smaller furnaces amount to 456,000 tonnes per year.” 2. Coal Seam Gas Project: Methane is a main element of natural gas and a very important energy source. It is a greenhouse gas and its presence affects the temperature of Earth and its climate. It has a short span of life around nine to fifteen years (9-15) in the atmosphere and twenty times better than carbon dioxide (CO2) in trapping heat in the atmosphere. BHP, EDL and Land Lease together worked on seam gas projects at the Appin mines to convert methane to electricity. The proceedings stated that: “The overall greenhouse gas savings from two mines is 3.2 Mt CO2 equivalents per year; including 2.5 Mt of direct savings 0.7 Mt of indirect savings due to replacement of coal fired electricity. Recently a new pipeline has been constructed to deliver methane captured at the nearby West Cliff Colliery to the EDL power station at Appin. This pipeline now supplies enough methane to power 10 gas engines, and results in additional direct and indirect savings of 0.4 Mt CO2 per year.” 3. Griffin Operation Gas flaring Policy: The Griffin Venture and the Griffin Gas Plant in Western Australia has a policy of minimizing gas flaring and venting by checking wells in plant down time to ensure that maximum flare allowance is not exceeded. The policy helps in a reduction of flaring and venting along with a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by more than 46,000 tonnes carbon dioxide (CO2). 4. Innovative Engineering: BHP had developed a mining truck to improve fuel efficiency. The truck was used in Saraji mines Queensland and cost around $5M. As per the proceedings report: “The truck has a unique suspension and lighter chassis than its competitors and has achieved an 11% reduction in greenhouse gas per tonne hauled. This prototype unit was operated for more than 10,000 hours at Saraji mine between 1997 to 1999 before being decommissioned. A 270 tonne production unit is currently being manufactured and marketed in the USA by Liebhrr. “ According to the George Tchobanoglous and Frank Kreith (Handbook of Solid Waste Management, Second Edition, 2002), there are two methods to reduce gas flaring from landfills. 1. Active Control of Landfill Gas: The vertical and horizontal gas wells are used for the extraction of gas from landfills. An installation may use both types of wells. Proper management of condensate formed at the time of extraction of gas should be considered in designing gas recovery systems. a. Vertical Gas Extraction Wells: The extraction wells are constructed within reasonable distance of gas probes. The wells are placed so that the radius of influence overlaps each other. Gas drawdown tests are also conducted to determine the radius of influence for gas wells. The extraction tests can be long term and as well as short term. As the gas diminishes in volume time by time, it is generally preferred by some designers to use a uniform spacing through out the well and adjust the vacuum at wall head in order to better control the radius of influence. More than hundred and fifty to two hundred feet (150-200 ft) spacing is commonly used for the extraction of wells for landfill gas. It is happened in deep landfills along with composite cover of geomembrane. A spacing of nearly hundred feet (100 ft) will be enough for closer spaces in landfills with soil and clay covers. It will avoid pulling gases into gas recovery system from the atmosphere. The pulling of other gases like oxygen may react with methane-producing bacteria and results in combustion or more severely internal fire. b. Horizontal Gas Extraction Wells. Some companies choose to build horizontal wells instead of verticals. “The use of horizontal wells was pioneered and developed by the County Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County.” According to the Tchobanoglous and Kreith, horizontal wells are installed after two or more lifts have been completed. The horizontal gas extraction trench is excavated in the solid waste by a backhoe. The trench is then backfilled halfway with gravel, and a perforated pipe with open joints is installed. The trench is then filled with gravel and capped with solid waste. By using a gravel-filled trench and a perforated pipe with open joints, the gas extraction trench remains functional even with the differential settling that will occur in the landfill with the passage of time. “The horizontal trenches are installed at approximately 80-ft vertical intervals and on 200-ft horizontal intervals.” (Stahl et al., 1982) c. Condensate Management: As per the handbook of Solid Waste Management, the Condensate forms when the warm landfill gas is cooled as it is transported in the header leading to the blower. Gas collection headers are usually installed with a minimum slope of 3 percent to allow for differential settlement. Because headers are constructed in sections that slope up and down throughout the extent of the landfill, conden- sate traps are installed at the low spots in the line. Condensate from the holding tanks is pumped out periodically and recirculated with leachate to the landfill transported to an authorized disposal facility, treated on-site prior to disposal, or discharged to a local sewer. In some states, the direct return of condensate to the landfill is allowed. 2. Passive Control of Landfill Gas: The passive control methods are based more on facts than technology. The most common and used method for passive controlling of landfill gas is relieving gas pressure in landfill interior. It will help in decreasing the migration of gas afterwards. In this method, vents are installed in the landfill deep down the solid waste mass and the gas moves to the exterior of landfill through the vent system. The landfills having passive vents and soil covers may experience gas migration stress on the landfill in case of low gas pressure and indicates that some gas is flowing through the vents. "These field observations are consistent with mathematical models that predict that passive vents are not effective in controlling gas movement under normal field conditions.” (Williams et al., 1999) However passive control of landfill gas does not always provide adequate system of gas migration and landfills near buildings occupied with people need active control systems. Research Methodology: The research methodology used to complete this dissertation needs gathering of relevant data from relevant books, journals, articles and other documents in order to analyze the researches and approaches so far presented to help in reducing gas flaring effect on the environment. I will try to find out the answers of the following questions during my research: 3. How did the gas flaring and venting perceived in different areas in the world with different economic conditions? 4. What is the impact of methane on greenhouse gas as compared to carbon dioxide (CO2)? 5. What are the factors affecting the storage, utilization and transportation of gas emitted during land drills? 6. What is the role played by various economic and environmental bodies around the world in innovating and developing technologies and also providing assistance to reduce gas flaring and venting? 7. What are the various gas flaring and venting policies made around the globe? And how did they implement? 8. What are the statistical trends of the world in gas flaring and venting in the last decade? Research Plan with Gant Chart: Following is the detailed Gantt chart for my research work as I have planned to conduct through out the period. I have included all the activities required during my research work as follows to help in improving the efficiency and timeliness of the research work. 2011 2012 Tasks/ Milestone June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May 1. Research commencement 2. Literature review 3. Research proposal 4. Completion of the core 5. Component 6. Yearly seminars 7. Data analysis: Study 1 8. Writing: Study 1 9. Conference paper 10. Preparation 11. Conference attendance 12. Research design: Study 2 13. Data collection: Study 2 14. Data analysis: Study 2 15. Preparation of journal paper 16. Potential follow up research 17. Thesis writing/editing 18. Thesis review by 19. Supervisors 20. Incorporate supervisors’ 21. Feedback 22. Annual reviews 23. Major review 24. Submission Reference: R. A. Durie, David John Williams, P. Mcmullan., Greenhouse gas control technologies: proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies, Csiro Publishing, 2001 George Tchobanoglous & Frank Kreith, Handbook of Solid Waste Management, Second Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2002. Elvidge C.D., Ziskin D., Baugh K.E., Tuttle B.T., Ghosh T., Pack D.W., Erwin E.H., Zhizhin M. A Fifteen Year Record of Global Natural Gas Flaring Derived from Satellite Data. Energies. 2009; 2(3):595-622. Gas flare. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. April 15, 2011, 07:52 UTC. Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gas_flare&oldid=424163774. Accessed May 12, 2011. Bibliography: R. A. Durie, David John Williams, P. Mcmullan., Greenhouse gas control technologies: proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies, Csiro Publishing, 2001 George Tchobanoglous & Frank Kreith, Handbook of Solid Waste Management, Second Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2002. Elvidge C.D., Ziskin D., Baugh K.E., Tuttle B.T., Ghosh T., Pack D.W., Erwin E.H., Zhizhin M. A Fifteen Year Record of Global Natural Gas Flaring Derived from Satellite Data. Energies. 2009; 2(3):595-622. Gas flare. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. April 15, 2011, 07:52 UTC. Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gas_flare&oldid=424163774. Accessed May 12, 2011. Andres, R.J., G. Marland, I. Fung, and E. Matthews. 1996a.  A one degree by one degree distribution of carbon dioxide emissions from fossil-fuel consumption and cement manufacture, 1950-1990.  Global Biogeochemical Cycles10:3:419-429. Boden, T. A., G. Marland, and R. J. Andres, 1996. Estimates of global, regional, and national annual CO2 emissions from fossil-fuel burning, hydraulic cement production, and gas flaring: 1950-1992, Rep. ORNL/CDIAC-90, NDP-030/R6, 600 pp., Oak Ridge Nat. Lab., Oak Ridge, Tenn. http://cdiac.ornl.gov/ndps/ndp030.html Marland, G., T. A. Boden, A. L. Brenkert, R.J. Andres, and J.G.J. Olivier.1997. CO2 from fossil fuel burning: Updates on the magnitude, distribution, and uncertainty of emission estimates. p. 4 In '97CO2 Extended Abstracts, Fifth International Carbon Dioxide Conference, Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Read More