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3.5% of the World's Natural Gas is Burned at the Wellhead in Flares

posted by CoolHand on Tuesday January 12 2016, @09:21PM   Printer-friendly
from the out-of-control-gas dept.

xpda writes:

According to satellite data estimates, 350 million tons of natural gas were wastefully burned at the wellhead in 2012, about 3.5% of worldwide natural gas production. To put this into perspective, this amount of natural gas could provide electrical power to the entire continent of Africa. The CO2 emissions from natural gas flares are roughly equivalent to 10% of all CO2 emissions of the European Union.

The problem, as you might surmise, is the handling and transportation of the natural gas produced as a by-product of oil wells in areas without the infrastructure to handle gas. In addition, some gas produced as oil by-product has relatively low levels of methane. Russia flares more natural gas than any other nation, followed by Iraq, Iran, Nigeria, Venezuela, Algeria, and the United States.

The World Bank is trying to stop all routine flaring of natural gas by 2030. North Dakota and New Mexico are taking steps to reduce gas flares.

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  • (Score: 2) by rob_on_earth on Wednesday January 13 2016, @10:22AM

    by rob_on_earth (5485) on Wednesday January 13 2016, @10:22AM (#289000) Homepage

    "To put this into perspective, this amount of natural gas could provide electrical power to the entire continent of Africa."
    for a day?
    week?
    year?
    femto second?

    not really putting it into perspective.

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  • (Score: 2) by xpda on Wednesday January 13 2016, @05:32PM

    by xpda (5991) on Wednesday January 13 2016, @05:32PM (#289137) Homepage

    The amount of gas flared in a femtosecond could theoretically power Africa for a femtosecond. Perspective is implied.

  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by RedGreen on Wednesday January 13 2016, @05:41PM

    by RedGreen (888) on Wednesday January 13 2016, @05:41PM (#289145)

    I would think a year as that is the time frame they talk about. But I agree it is sorely lacking in specifics the W5 as the TV show is called around here. The who, what ,where, when and why of the story sorely lacking in most journalistic efforts these days.

    --
    "I modded down, down, down, and the flames went higher." -- Sven Olsen

    • (Score: 2) by Alfred on Wednesday January 13 2016, @06:17PM

      by Alfred (4006) on Wednesday January 13 2016, @06:17PM (#289167) Journal
      A year for a year is a fair comparison but no one flares for a year. (except the Arabs) Normally flaring happens hours at a time if it is really bad. Day to day flaring of an operating plant is probably not enough to power a city block.