Post on 22-Dec-2015
Preliminary Estimation of Annual Gas Flaring Volumes in South and East Asia
Chris ElvidgeNOAA – National Geophysical Data Center
325 Broadway, E/GC2Boulder, Colorado 80305, U.S.AEmail: chris.elvidge@noaa.gov
K.E. Baugh, B.T. Tuttle, A.T. Howard and P.J. Hayes
University of Colorado – CIRES325 Broadway E/GC2
Boulder, Colorado 80305, U.S.A
E.H. ErwinNOAA – National Geophysical Data Center
325 Broadway, E/GC2Boulder, Colorado 80305, U.S.A
April 26, 2006
Exxon-Mobil Amenam Platform, Nigeria
• Crude oil contains associated hydrocarbon gases.
• When brought to surface the gases are released.
• Where there is no market for the gas the industry standard for disposal is flaring.
• Venting also occurs – releasing unburnt gases directly into the atmosphere.
• Alternatives include reinjection, on-site power generation, and transport to markets.
The Gas Flaring Issue
How Much Gas Is Flared?• A number of countries report
gas flaring volumes, but these are not all viewed as reliable.
• The World Bank Global Gas Flaring Reduction Initiative (GGFR) estimates that a 150 billion cubic meters (BCM) of gas is flared or vented per year.
• This is equivalent to 25% of US consumption.
• There is large uncertainty in the estimates since reporting is voluntary and the activity occurs primarily in remote locations.
GGFR 2004 Reported ValuesIn Billion Cubic Meters (BCM)• Nigeria 24.1• Russia 14.7• Iran 13.3• Iraq 8.6• Angola 6.8• Venezuela 5.4• Qatar 4.5• Algeria 4.3• Eq. Guinea 3.6• Indonesia 3.5• USA 2.8• Kazakhstan 2.7• Azerbaijan 2.5• Libya 2.5• Mexico 1.6• UK 1.6• Brazil 1.5• Gabon 1.4• Cameroon 1.1• Canada 1.0
Why Not Estimate Gas Flaring Volumes From Satellite Data?• Open combustion produces a unique
signature that should be detectable by satellite sensors.
• Systematic global observations of gas flaring from satellites could provide estimates free of corporate and national disclosure constraints.
The U.S. Air ForceDefense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)Operational Linescan System (OLS) has aUnique capability to collect low-light imagery.
Polar orbiting3000 km swath2.7 km ground sample
distance (GSD)Two spectral bands:
visible and thermalNightly global coverageFlown since 1972Will continue till ~2012
Visible
Thermal
Pros and Cons of DMSP
• OLS sensor extremely sensitive to light emitted by gas flares.
• Global archive extending back to 1992.
• NGDC has standardized and largely automated annual product generation.
• Lighting detected from many other sources.
• No onboard calibration of visible band.
• Gas flares not detected in OLS thermal band data.
Total Number of Coverages
Total Number of Cloud-Free Coverages
Average Digital Number of Lights x Percent Frequency of Detection
Mollweide Projection – 1 km Equal Area GridAverage Digital Number of Lights x Percent Frequency of Detection
Nigeria
F162004 = RedF141998 = GreenF101992 = Blue
Vectors drawn ongas flares.
RussiaF162004 = Red F141998 = Green F101992 = BlueVectors drawn on gas flares. Yellow vectors = Khanty Mansiysk.
Algeria
F162004 = RedF141998 = GreenF101992 = Blue
Vectors drawn ongas flares.
IndonesiaF162004 = Red, F141998 = Green, F101992 = BlueVectors drawn on gas flares.
MalaysiaF162004 = Red, F141998 = Green, F101992 = BlueVectors drawn on gas flares.
IndiaF152003 = RedF141998 = GreenF101992 = Blue
VietnamF152003 = RedF141998 = GreenF101992 = Blue
Beijing1992 = blue1998 = green2003 = red
GGFR Reported Gas Flaringin Billion Cubic Meters
0
200,000
400,000
600,000
800,000
1,000,000
1,200,000
1,400,000
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
BCM
Su
m o
f L
igh
ts Nigeria
Russia Excluding KM
KhantyMansiysk
IranIraq
Angola
F15 = BlueF16 = Red
F15BCM = Sum of Lights/28543R2=0.89
F16BCM = Sum of Lights/33901R2=0.87
Brunei
Brunei
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
10,000
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006Year
Sum
of Lig
hts
un
F10
F12
F14
F15
F16
Myanmar - Offshore
Myanmar
0
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006Year
Sum
of Lig
hts
un
F10
F12
F14
F15
F16
China Onshore & Offshore
China
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006Year
Sum
of Lig
hts
un
F10
F12
F14
F15
F16
India - Offshore
India
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006Year
Sum
of Lig
hts
un
F10
F12
F14
F15
F16
Indonesia – Onshore & Offshore
Indonesia
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006Year
Sum
of Lig
hts
un
F10
F12
F14
F15
F16
Malaysia - Offshore
Malaysia
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006Year
Sum
of Lig
hts
un
F10
F12
F14
F15
F16
Philippines - Offshore
Philippines
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
4,500
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006Year
Sum
of Lig
hts
un
F10
F12
F14
F15
F16
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006Year
Sum
of Lig
hts
un
F10
F12
F14
F15
F16
Thailand - Offshore
Gulf of Thailand
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006Year
Sum
of Lig
hts
un
F10
F12
F14
F15
F16
Vietnam - Offshore
Vietnam
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
45,000
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006Year
Sum
of Lig
hts
un
F10
F12
F14
F15
F16
2004 Gas Flaring Volumes (BCM)GGFR F15 F16
• Russia 14.7 ??? ???• Nigeria 24.1 25.8 25.8• Iran 13.3 11.5 11.4• Iraq 8.6 9.0 8.7• Algeria 4.3 7.0 7.2• Kazakhstan 2.7 6.9 7.3• Angola 6.8 5.8 5.9• Saudi Arabia NA 5.2 5.0• Libya 2.5 4.9 5.0• UAE NA 3.7 3.7
Estimated 2004 Gas Flaring Volumes (BCM)
GGFR F15 F16
• Indonesia 3.5 3.23 3.39• China NA 2.50 2.23• Malaysia NA 1.95 2.07• India NA 0.78 0.75• Vietnam NA 0.67 0.68• PNG NA 0.31 0.37• Thailand NA 0.24 0.21• Brunei NA 0.118 0.119• Philippines NA 0.064 0.045• Myanmar NA 0.036 0.024
Conclusions• The satellite data estimate of global gas flaring
volumes is 190-199 BCM in 2004.• This is about 30% higher than the GGFR
estimate of 150 BCM.• Russia has the largest flaring – more than 30%
of the global total.• Indonesia, China, and Malaysia have the largest
amount of flaring in south and east Asia.• NGDC plans to extend the annual estimates
back to 1992 using the DMSP archive.