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Until renewable sources of energy like wind or solar become more reliable and less expensive, people worldwide remain reliant on fossil fuels for transportation and energy. This means that if people want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, there need to be better ways of mitigating the effects of extracting and burning oil and gas.
Now, Adam Brandt, assistant professor of energy resources engineering in the School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences at Stanford, and his colleagues have performed a first global analysis comparing emissions associated with oil production techniques -- a step toward developing policies that could reduce those emissions. They published their work Aug. 30 in Science.
The group found that the burning of unwanted gas associated with oil production -- called flaring -- remains the most carbon-intensive part of producing oil. Brandt spoke with Stanford Report about the group's findings and strategies for reducing flaring.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 01 2018, @05:32AM (1 child)
Why does it have to be an internal combustion engine? Could be a sterling motor or even a boiler running a turbine or steam engine. These types of energy converters have no moving parts in the combustion chamber and can be easily built to withstand the crappiest of crap fuels.
Or is this an American thing?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 01 2018, @12:59PM
As I heard it, the IC engine choice was based on being compact and easy to move around, runs at a decent speed to turn a generator, fast response time so easily matches changing loads. The engineering challenge is finding materials and designs that tolerate the crap fuel.
In terms of EPA acceptance, there is plenty of experience with after-treatment for exhaust. The methane burns cleanly, maybe catalysts and diesel particulate filters would handle the rest? Or, as others suggest, go somewhere where the emission regulations are not an issue.