LAPSE:2023.8820
Published Article
LAPSE:2023.8820
Process Optimization of the Flaring Gas for Field Applications
February 24, 2023
Abstract
During petroleum industry operations, burning flammable gas components in the flaring stacks is common, normally a symbol for stable production, but flaring these components creates harmful emissions for the environment. This flaring gas has components with a high quantity of heating power, an important measurement that quantifies the energy that can potentially be obtained from this wasted resource. This paper aims to evaluate the energy usage of the flaring gas, estimating the possible energy produced with this usable resource by modeling a treatment and energy generation process employing the Aspen HYSYS® simulator. The flaring gas is characterized using different models and compositional ranges of natural gas to know what kind of gas it is and identify what type of equipment could be used for treatment and energy generation from this resource. After the gas characterization, the selection of the equipment of treatment and energy generation is necessary; this is done using a multicriteria analysis by taking into consideration the variables of gas composition, electrical efficiency, economic performance, and GHG emissions, ensuring to generate the greatest amount of energy possible to be produced with this flaring gas. By increasing the LHV, 0.95 MMSCF of flared gas of an oilfield in the VMM basin produced 5133 kW, enough energy to supply gas treatment and power generation facilities and four times the total gross consumption energy of a model oilfield in the basin, while the CO2 emissions were reduced 11.4%, and cost savings using this resource instead of diesel were obtained. In conclusion, to minimize flaring and to recover and reuse these waste components, looking for alternatives for the use of this gas-like power generation is an important option that reduces pollutants emission, gives a new source of fuel, and gives an energy usefulness to this wasted resource.
During petroleum industry operations, burning flammable gas components in the flaring stacks is common, normally a symbol for stable production, but flaring these components creates harmful emissions for the environment. This flaring gas has components with a high quantity of heating power, an important measurement that quantifies the energy that can potentially be obtained from this wasted resource. This paper aims to evaluate the energy usage of the flaring gas, estimating the possible energy produced with this usable resource by modeling a treatment and energy generation process employing the Aspen HYSYS® simulator. The flaring gas is characterized using different models and compositional ranges of natural gas to know what kind of gas it is and identify what type of equipment could be used for treatment and energy generation from this resource. After the gas characterization, the selection of the equipment of treatment and energy generation is necessary; this is done using a multicriteria analysis by taking into consideration the variables of gas composition, electrical efficiency, economic performance, and GHG emissions, ensuring to generate the greatest amount of energy possible to be produced with this flaring gas. By increasing the LHV, 0.95 MMSCF of flared gas of an oilfield in the VMM basin produced 5133 kW, enough energy to supply gas treatment and power generation facilities and four times the total gross consumption energy of a model oilfield in the basin, while the CO2 emissions were reduced 11.4%, and cost savings using this resource instead of diesel were obtained. In conclusion, to minimize flaring and to recover and reuse these waste components, looking for alternatives for the use of this gas-like power generation is an important option that reduces pollutants emission, gives a new source of fuel, and gives an energy usefulness to this wasted resource.
Record ID
Keywords
CO2 emissions reduction, energy optimization, Natural Gas
Subject
Suggested Citation
Ibañez-Gómez LF, Albarracín-Quintero S, Céspedes-Zuluaga S, Montes-Páez E, Ando Junior OH, Carmo JP, Ribeiro JE, Moreira MMA, Siqueira AAG, Guerrero-Martin CA. Process Optimization of the Flaring Gas for Field Applications. (2023). LAPSE:2023.8820
Author Affiliations
Ibañez-Gómez LF: Energy Department, Fundación Universidad de América, Ak. 1 #20-53, Bogotá 110911, Cundinamarca, Colombia
Albarracín-Quintero S: Energy Department, Fundación Universidad de América, Ak. 1 #20-53, Bogotá 110911, Cundinamarca, Colombia
Céspedes-Zuluaga S: Grupo de Investigación en Fénomenos de Superficie-Michael Polanyi, Department of Processes and Energy, Faculty of Mines, Universidad Nacional de Colombia—Sede Medellín, Medellín 050034, Bogotá, Colombia [ORCID]
Montes-Páez E: Petroleum Engineering School, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Escuela de Ingeniería de Petróleos, Cra 27 Cll 9 (Edificio Jorge Bautista Vesga)—UIS, Bucaramanga 680002, Santander, Colombia [ORCID]
Ando Junior OH: Academic Unit of Cabo do Santo Agostinho, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife 54518-530, PE, Brazil [ORCID]
Carmo JP: Group of Metamaterials Microwaves and Optics (GMeta), Department of Electrical Engineering (SEL), University of São Paulo (USP), Avenida Trabalhador São-Carlense, Nr. 400, Parque Industrial Arnold Schimidt, São Carlos 13566-590, SP, Brazil [ORCID]
Ribeiro JE: Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (IPB), 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal; Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal [ORCID]
Moreira MMA: Department of Mechancial Engineering (SEM), University of São Paulo (USP), Avenida Trabalhador São-Carlense, Nr. 400, Parque Industrial Arnold Schimidt, São Carlos 13566-590, SP, Brazil [ORCID]
Siqueira AAG: Department of Mechancial Engineering (SEM), University of São Paulo (USP), Avenida Trabalhador São-Carlense, Nr. 400, Parque Industrial Arnold Schimidt, São Carlos 13566-590, SP, Brazil [ORCID]
Guerrero-Martin CA: Centre for Energy and Environmental Economics (CENERGIA), Energy Planning Programme, PPE/COPPE, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Athos da Silveira Ramos, 149—Edifício do Centro de Tecnologia, Bloco A, 2º Andar—Cidade Universitária, Rio d [ORCID]
Albarracín-Quintero S: Energy Department, Fundación Universidad de América, Ak. 1 #20-53, Bogotá 110911, Cundinamarca, Colombia
Céspedes-Zuluaga S: Grupo de Investigación en Fénomenos de Superficie-Michael Polanyi, Department of Processes and Energy, Faculty of Mines, Universidad Nacional de Colombia—Sede Medellín, Medellín 050034, Bogotá, Colombia [ORCID]
Montes-Páez E: Petroleum Engineering School, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Escuela de Ingeniería de Petróleos, Cra 27 Cll 9 (Edificio Jorge Bautista Vesga)—UIS, Bucaramanga 680002, Santander, Colombia [ORCID]
Ando Junior OH: Academic Unit of Cabo do Santo Agostinho, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife 54518-530, PE, Brazil [ORCID]
Carmo JP: Group of Metamaterials Microwaves and Optics (GMeta), Department of Electrical Engineering (SEL), University of São Paulo (USP), Avenida Trabalhador São-Carlense, Nr. 400, Parque Industrial Arnold Schimidt, São Carlos 13566-590, SP, Brazil [ORCID]
Ribeiro JE: Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (IPB), 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal; Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal [ORCID]
Moreira MMA: Department of Mechancial Engineering (SEM), University of São Paulo (USP), Avenida Trabalhador São-Carlense, Nr. 400, Parque Industrial Arnold Schimidt, São Carlos 13566-590, SP, Brazil [ORCID]
Siqueira AAG: Department of Mechancial Engineering (SEM), University of São Paulo (USP), Avenida Trabalhador São-Carlense, Nr. 400, Parque Industrial Arnold Schimidt, São Carlos 13566-590, SP, Brazil [ORCID]
Guerrero-Martin CA: Centre for Energy and Environmental Economics (CENERGIA), Energy Planning Programme, PPE/COPPE, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Athos da Silveira Ramos, 149—Edifício do Centro de Tecnologia, Bloco A, 2º Andar—Cidade Universitária, Rio d [ORCID]
Journal Name
Energies
Volume
15
Issue
20
First Page
7655
Year
2022
Publication Date
2022-10-17
ISSN
1996-1073
Version Comments
Original Submission
Other Meta
PII: en15207655, Publication Type: Journal Article
Record Map
Published Article
LAPSE:2023.8820
This Record
External Link
https://doi.org/10.3390/en15207655
Publisher Version
Download
Meta
Record Statistics
Record Views
378
Version History
[v1] (Original Submission)
Feb 24, 2023
Verified by curator on
Feb 24, 2023
This Version Number
v1
Citations
Most Recent
This Version
URL Here
http://psecommunity.org/LAPSE:2023.8820
Record Owner
Auto Uploader for LAPSE
Links to Related Works