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
0
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