Black carbon emissions from flaring Status, challenges and way forward

Torleif Haugland, 14th May 2015

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Issues to be covered

Black carbon emission estimates

Mitigation options and costs

Regulations and policies

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Contribution from flaring to black carbon emissions Significance rise with latitude

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Global lat > 40◦ N lat > 50◦ N lat > 60◦ N lat > 66◦ N

Flaring Residential Biomass and agriculture burning Other

Source: Black carbon in the Arctic: the underestimated role of gas flaring and residential combustion emissions. A. Stohl, Z. Klimont, S. Eckhardt, K. Kupiainen, V. P. Shevchenko, V. M. Kopeikin, and A. N. Novigatsky. 2013.

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Current emissions estimates are uncertain

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FACTORS INFLUENCE BLACK CARBON EMISSIONS

Gas characteristics Combustion conditions

Gas volume Gas composition Flare design Wind

Emission factors (BC/m3 flared)Volume flared

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Most Arctic flaring in SiberiaFlare data uncertain

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1. Uncertainties on the satellite evaluation (conversion from “sum of light” to volume gas)

2. Satellite estimates may include more than associated gas flaring

3. Underreporting from companies

KEY SOURCES OF DISCREPENCIES:

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Measurements of black carbon emissions from flares

Challenges:

• Large open burning

• Representativeness of the measurements

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Lab measures Camera (Sky-Losa) Sampling Plane

Carleton University Aerodyne Illinois Univ.

Pictures: TCEQ Study, Illinois University and Carleton university

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Weyant 2015 – Approach

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Fly-over aircraft sampling

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Wind Direction

150 flight passes. 25 individual flares.

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Weyant 2015 – A few results

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Average = 143 mg/kg fuel

Std = 203 mg/kg fuel

Median = 68 mg/kg fuel

Some flares are high emittersDay to day variation

BC MASS EMISSION FACTOR - HISTOGRAM OF ALL FLARE PASSES

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Existing measurements show important variation

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Fare from having samples representative of Russian conditions

Laboratory . measurements

North Dakota«top-down» approach

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500

1000

1500

2000

2500

McEwen 2011 Weyant 2015 Stohl 2013

Bla

ck c

arbo

n em

issi

on

fact

ors

(mg

/kg

of fu

el)

Range of results

Average

Best Guess

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Although there are uncertainties, flaring represents likely a large share of black carbon emissions in the Arctic

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ESTIMATE OF BC EMISSIONS FOR ENERGY AND INDUSTRY (COMBUSTION)

Source: Carbon Limits analysis

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There are a large number of mature technologies to reduce emissionsGas utilisation

Utilizing the associated gas is a natural solution to reduce both black carbon and CO2 emissions and energy wastage.

GAS UTILISATION OPTIONS

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Gas Gathering

On-site use Conversion into marketable products

Gas Treatment and Processing

Raw Gas

Dry GasLPG /

LiquidsCNG LNG

Petrochemicals

Electricity

Captive Electricity

HeatGas

Injection

GTL

Pipeline Truck – Train – Tanker - Pipeline Grid

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Mitigation costs are highly site specific, and economics of investments also sensitive to market conditions and regulatory framework

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SITE SPECIFIC FACTORS

• Regularity/stability of gas flows

• Volume of gas (economics of scale)

• Gas pressure

• Distance to gas infrastructure and end use markets

• Gas composition

• Impurities

• Regularity/stability of gas flows

• Volume of gas (economics of scale)

• Gas pressure

• Distance to gas infrastructure and end use markets

• Gas composition

• Impurities

MARKET CONDITIONS AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK CONDITIONS

• Access to infrastructure – even at preferential terms

• Gas prices

• License conditions

• Access to infrastructure – even at preferential terms

• Gas prices

• License conditions

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Estimates of capital expenditure for associated gas utilization in Russia. Billion US$

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Carbon Limits analysis

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When flare elimination is not feasibleOther approaches

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NGL recovery Improve flare design

Pictures: Petrograd, Argo flare

Gas infrastructure may be delayed by

several years

• Reduce visible smoke

• Most likely reduce black carbon emissions

• No quantitative information available

• Remove heavy components from gas flared

• Lean gas can be used or flared

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Barriers

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• Long distance to market

• Lack of existing infrastructure

• Low volume of APG per field

• Long distance to market

• Lack of existing infrastructure

• Low volume of APG per field

• Low domestic gas or power prices

• Few incentives for investment

• Gas investments take time to mature

• Low domestic gas or power prices

• Few incentives for investment

• Gas investments take time to mature

• Regulatory/legal base deficiencies

• Inefficient system for enforcement

• Regulatory/legal base deficiencies

• Inefficient system for enforcement

• Gas transport

• Gas processing

• Power production or transmission

• Gas transport

• Gas processing

• Power production or transmission

TECHNICAL/GEOGRAPHICAL LEGISLATION AND REGULATION

ECONOMIC STRUCTURAL – MONOPOLIES

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Elements of best practice regulations and policies

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Dialogue between companies and authorities essentialPublic-private partnerships

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AT THE NATIIONAL LEVEL

Knowledge gap and information bias call for dialogue and building of trust

The need for enhances action increasingly recognized

Incentivize companies to monitor and report correct data

Flexibility in regulation but also clear targets – carrot and stick

Knowledge gap and information bias call for dialogue and building of trust

The need for enhances action increasingly recognized

Incentivize companies to monitor and report correct data

Flexibility in regulation but also clear targets – carrot and stick

INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES

The Arctic Council Framework for Action on Black Carbon and Methane and ACAP/PSI

Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 initiative (GGFR)Endorsed by 9 countries (including Russian Federation) and 10 companies (non Russian)

Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)Technology Demonstration and Evaluation for the Recovery of Hydrocarbon

Bilateral cooperation

The Arctic Council Framework for Action on Black Carbon and Methane and ACAP/PSI

Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 initiative (GGFR)Endorsed by 9 countries (including Russian Federation) and 10 companies (non Russian)

Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)Technology Demonstration and Evaluation for the Recovery of Hydrocarbon

Bilateral cooperation

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Final remarks

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The knowledge gap

•Scale and characteristics of emissions

•Mitigation opportunities and costs

«We know enough to act»

•Yes, but…

•More knowledge essential in order to get regulations and policies right

•Information and knowledge important to get companies to act

Flares are very visible and there are relatively few emission sources and even fewer key decision makers