The Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) reported that flaring* in the UK North Sea fell by 19% last year, following a 22% decrease during 2020.
STATISTICS
In a statement, the OGA said that production facilities cut their flaring by 6 billion cubic feet (bcf), to 26 bcf, a reduction equivalent to the annual gas demand of 130,000 UK homes.
The figures show that offshore flaring volumes decreased to their lowest annual level on OGA records, with a record monthly low set in June 2021.
Offshore flaring intensity – the amount of gas flared per unit of oil produced – decreased from 94 standard cubic feet per barrel (scf/bbl) in 2020 to 90 scf/bbl in 2021, an 11-year low.
This measure has now fallen four years in a row, from 125 scf/bbl in 2017.
Overall venting went down 24% while, within that, venting of inert gases (mainly CO2) was 29% lower and methane dropped by 8%.
Last year’s decrease in flaring and venting coincided with planned maintenance shutdowns on multiple installations, much of which was postponed due to Covid-19.
2030 TARGETS
The OGA added it was using new guidance, its consenting regime, active stewardship, monitoring, benchmarking and reporting to reduce and where possible, eliminate flaring and venting.
“Industry is expected to achieve zero routine flaring and venting by 2030 or sooner, and all new developments should be designed on the basis of zero routine flaring and venting.
“Operators’ requests for flaring and venting consents for new field development plans and existing production are being closely scrutinised, and a halt can be ordered if excessive levels are reached.”
*Venting is the discharging of gases into the atmosphere. Flaring is burning the gases before they are discharged and mainly results in CO2 emissions.
The data used is supplied to the Oil and Gas Authority by oil and gas field operators via the Petroleum Production Reporting System. The data is on the OGA’s Open Data Site.