Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘climate’ Category

2021 Flaring Intensity – 10 largest flaring nations vs. US Gulf of Mexico

Posted in climate, flaring and venting, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , on November 15, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Using the World Bank’s worldwide flaring data and ONRR flaring and venting data for the GoM, I compared GoM flaring intensity for 2021 with that of the World Bank’s top ten flaring nations. This is just one example of why US offshore production is a preferred and vital component of our energy mix.

Further discussion: Kudos to the World Bank for their use of satellite data to estimate flaring volumes worldwide. Their primary performance indicator is flaring intensity (volume flared per bbl of oil produced). Absent better worldwide reporting regimes, satellite data are essential. However, there are issues with the World Bank’s system that merit further consideration:

  • Satellites miss some flares and vented gas (a more significant GHG concern) is not detected
  • A prior review of Gulf of Mexico data indicated that the World Bank flaring estimates are low.
  • The flaring intensity indicator penalizes higher gas-oil ratio (GOR) wells. Production upsets of the same duration yield higher flaring intensity scores at higher GOR facilities.
  • Associated gas is an environmentally favorable energy source that should not be discouraged. Most Gulf of Mexico gas production is now from oil wells. Efficient collection and utilization is the key.
  • There will always be some production upsets that result in flaring. The objective should be to minimize the % of oil-well and gas-well gas that is flared, irrespective of the amount of oil production. See the recent GoM summary data posted here and here.

Read Full Post »

The international climate agenda does not supersede the OCS Lands Act

Posted in climate, energy policy, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , on November 7, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Netherlands climate activist Niklas Hohne succinctly summarizes the “end of fossil fuels” strategy (first quote) that the US Department of the Interior seems intent on implementing in the proposed 5 Year OCS Leasing Plan (second quote). What is DOI’s legislative authority for phasing out offshore oil and gas production? It’s certainly not the OCS Lands Act which calls for the expeditious and orderly development of OCS resources. Neither the EIA nor any other reputable forecaster believes we can even reduce, let alone eliminate, oil and gas consumption in the next 20-30 years.

“The plan was not to build any new infrastructure, because everything new you build has to run for 20 or 30 years to pencil out, long past the point we want to be off fossil fuels,” Hohne said. 

Niklas Hohne, founder of the New Climate Institute (Netherlands) to the Washington Post

“The long-term nature of OCS oil and gas development, such that production on a lease can continue for decades makes consideration of future climate pathways relevant to the Secretary’s determinations with respect to how the OCS leasing program best meets the Nation’s energy needs.“

5 Year Leasing Program, p.3

Read Full Post »

Total GoM gas flared/vented vs. total gas production

Posted in climate, energy policy, gas, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , on November 4, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Further, per the ONRR data:

Oil-Well Gas
Produced
(BCF)		Gas-Well Gas
Produced
(BCF)		total gas
produced
(BCF)		total gas flared
or vented
(BCF)		% flared
or vented
2015588.4719.41307.810.30.8
2016631.7589.11220.89.70.8
2017637.3441.21078.59.90.9
2018623.1370.1993.210.61.1
2019670.2364.11034.311.71.1
2020581.4224.9806.310.41.3
2021582.2209.5791.78.21

Read Full Post »

Six years of ONRR GoM flaring data summarized below

Posted in climate, energy policy, flaring and venting, gas, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , , on November 3, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Gulf of Mexico flaring and venting data have been sorted for the years 2015-2021. The reporting of these data is mandatory and strictly enforced, so these ONRR numbers should be accurate.

Biggest surprise: The biggest surprise is that there were no big surprises in the data. The % of gas flared and vented were generally consistent with expectations based on familiarity with historical data.

Biggest disappointment: the continued sharp decline in nonassociated (gas-well) gas production. GoM gas well gas production exceeded 4 tcf annually in the 1990s and was still above one tcf ten years ago. Since then, GWG production has declined by 80%. Nonassociated offshore natural gas has important environmental advantages, so the decline in production should be a major concern to policy makers

Encouraging sign: The % of oil-well gas vented has ticked down over the past 2 years which is encouraging from a GHG standpoint. This is presumably because most associated gas is produced on modern deepwater facilities equipped with flare booms. An astute politician would be rushing to take credit for this achievement.😀

Unfavorable ratio: Although the volumes are low (<1 Bcf combined in 2021), more gas-well gas was vented each year than flared. This is presumably because older shelf facilities without flare booms still produce much of the natural gas.

Abbreviations:

  • ONRR: Office of Natural Resources Revenue
  • GoM: Federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico
  • OWGP: oil-well gas production
  • GWGP: gas-well gas production
  • OWGF: oil-well gas flared
  • OWGV: oil-well gas vented
  • GWGF: gas-well gas flared
  • GWGV: gas-well gas vented

Read Full Post »

Enjoy the weekend while supporting renewable energy 😀

Posted in climate, energy, natural gas, Uncategorized, tagged , , , on October 28, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Advice from Lars Herbst, distinguished offshore energy leader: “Help the Energy Crisis – Drink more Jack Daniels”

Tennessee Twist:TC Energy’s $29.3 million investment in a RNG (renewable natural gas) production facility near the Jack Daniel’s Distillery will see the Canadian operator producing RNG with a carbon-intensity score that is 50% lower than traditional natural gas, saving up to 16,000 tonnes of CO2e per year, according to the company.

“This investment is our first in the production of renewable natural gas,” said Corey Hessen, TC Energy executive vice president and president, power & Energy solutions. “The production of RNG onsite at the Jack Daniel’s Distillery offers TC Energy one more opportunity to meet the challenge of growing energy needs and reducing emissions while providing customers with access to an affordable, reliable, source of energy.”

JPT

It’s a great country! 😀

Read Full Post »

While we are looking at GoM methane releases…

Posted in climate, gas, Gulf of Mexico, natural gas, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , on October 27, 2022| Leave a Comment »

NASA has identified 50+ super-emitters of methane including sites in Turkmenistan (image below) that emit an estimated 111,000 pounds per hour.

 

By comparison, vented Gulf of Mexico methane emissions in 2021 totaled 1953 mmcf. This converts to 82 million pounds at atmospheric pressure and 60°F. The identified Turkmenistan sources would thus release the amount of methane in a month that all Gulf of Mexico facilities vent in a year (2021).

East of Hazar, Turkmenistan, a port city on the Caspian Sea, 12 plumes of methane stream westward. The plumes were detected by NASA’s Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation mission and some of them stretch for more than 20 miles (32 kilometers).

Read Full Post »

Expect this type of behavior to continue

Posted in climate, energy policy, Offshore Energy - General, UK, Uncategorized, tagged , , , on October 17, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Two supporters of Just Stop Oil have thrown soup over Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, as actions in the capital roll into the 14th day. They are demanding that the UK government halts all new oil and gas projects.

Just Stop Oil

Why these stunts will continue in Europe and N. America:

  • Minimal penalties for their behavior.
  • Publicity and contributions. (Donate buttons are the main feature of JustStopOil)
  • Prominent supporters and leading political figures have endorsed their message, if not their conduct.
  • Weak, imbalanced educational systems, particularly with regard to energy.

Read Full Post »

Louisiana to BlackRock: We’re out!

Posted in climate, energy policy, tagged , , , on October 6, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Louisiana treasurer John Schroder said Wednesday he would pull $794 million of state money from BlackRock Inc. funds.

“Your blatantly anti-fossil fuel policies would destroy Louisiana’s economy,” Mr. Schroder wrote.

WSJ

Here is the pertinent guidance from Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry:

2022.08.30-agguidanceonesg_finalDownload

Read Full Post »

Just as the comment period on BOEM’s 5 year leasing program closes (today), OPEC (again) reminds us of the importance of US production

Posted in climate, energy policy, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , on October 6, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Planned obsolescence, as justification for the minimalist leasing program (see below), is neither prudent nor consistent with the OCS Lands Act.

“The long-term nature of OCS oil and gas development, such that production on a lease can continue for decades makes consideration of future climate pathways relevant to the Secretary’s determinations with respect to how the OCS leasing program best meets the Nation’s energy needs.“

5 Year Leasing Program, p.3

Basing offshore leasing decisions on “future climate pathways” is a high risk strategy that may be inconsistent with the recent SCOTUS decision in West Virginia vs. EPA. A planned or phased shutdown of the offshore oil and gas program would dramatically increase economic and security risks, and has not been authorized by legislation.

Read Full Post »

Nord Stream methane release – some perspective

Posted in climate, pipelines, seeps, tagged , , , on October 4, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Sept 30 (Reuters) – The ruptures on the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline system under the Baltic Sea have led to what is likely the biggest single release of climate-damaging methane ever recorded, the United Nations Environment Programme said on Friday.

“This is really bad, most likely the largest emission event ever detected,” Manfredi Caltagirone, head of the IMEO for UNEP, told Reuters. “This is not helpful in a moment when we absolutely need to reduce emissions.”

Researchers at GHGSat, which uses satellites to monitor methane emissions, estimated the leak rate from one of four rupture points was 22,920 kilograms per hour. That is equivalent to burning about 630,000 pounds of coal every hour, GHGSat said in a statement.

The Nord Stream methane release, while puzzling and rather frightening given the potential for escalating international tensions, was not an environmental disaster or even a major environmental setback.

Some perspective:

  • estimate for the main Nord Stream leak (likely the maximum or near-maximum rate) = 22,930 kg/hr
  • 22,930 kg/h = 550,320 kg/day = 550.320 x 106 g/day
  • total methane source for North American coastal waters (NASEM, Oil in the Sea, p. 63) = 4 – 20 Tg/yr
  • 10 Tg/yr (i.e. 10 x 1012 g/yr) = 0.027 x 1012 g/day = 27000 x 106 g/day
  • This is ~50 times the temporary (maximum?) daily rate for the Nord Stream leak
  • North American input from seafloor seepage only (NASEM, Oil in the Sea, p. 63) = 2 – 9 Tg/yr
  • assuming 5 x 1012 g/year or 13700 x 106 g/day
  • This is ~25 times the temporary (maximum?) daily rate for the Nord Stream leak

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »