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Oil company flare stacks are wasteful, pollute the environment

While grasslands and forests continue to burn across Texas, flames of a more nefarious sort are deliberately marring the state’s landscape and poisoning its air.

In acts of environmental mismanagement, the oil industry is routinely burning the natural gas that often accompanies the liquid crude oil in drilled wells. Commonly known as flaring, this egregiously wasteful practice is implemented as a cost-saving measure.

Oil companies claim that current low prices simply make capturing and processing natural gas uneconomical. They reason that if they cannot make a profit in the market, they may as well just skip the consumer and pump their pollution directly into the atmosphere.

Flare stacks were once used primarily as safety valves to prevent pressure blowouts and occasionally for testing the production capabilities of a well. The convenience of loose regulatory laws allowed them to become the standard device for waste management with hardly an objection from state and federal governments.

The flares consume 100 million cubic feet of natural gas every day from sites all over the nation. Here in Texas, somewhere between several hundred and a few thousand oil well sites dispose of gas in this fashion, with the exact number remaining obfuscated and openly contested by the industry.

Flare stacks were once used primarily as safety valves to prevent pressure blowouts and occasionally for testing the production capabilities of a well. The convenience of loose regulatory laws allowed for them to become the standard device for waste management with hardly an objection from state and federal governments.”

Unquestionably, the number of locations will increase, considering that in the last year over 537 flaring permits were issued by the state in anticipation of successfully drilled wells.

As appalling as flaring may seem, the oil industry also employs an even more destructive method for disposing of unwanted natural gas; it vents it openly into the air. As with flaring, venting natural gas lacks even the partially redeeming benefits of actually putting the fuel to use.

With a heat trapping effect 20 times that of carbon dioxide, natural gas is capable of expediting climate change faster than most of the emissions from automobiles and power plants.

Again, from the industry’s perspective, costs associated with natural gas production are prohibitive to its storage and shipment. However, other avenues exist for managing this resource other than throwing it away.

During the process of oil extraction, the accompanying gas can be captured on-site and immediately injected back into the well.

This procedure actually facilitates oil recovery by maintaining an upward pressure that directs the liquid to the surface.

At the same time, oil companies would be creating gas repositories that could be tapped into should demand increase. Another option is to use some of the gas to fuel local generators that power the drilling machinery and infrastructure at the well-site.

A long-term approach of promoting compressed natural gas as an alternative to gasoline and the closing of antiquated coal-fired power plants will help spur market-driven demand.

With these financial incentives, the oil industry will be much more inclined to invest in the necessary components for the storage, shipping and selling of natural gas.

For now, the alternatives to flaring and venting will go unimplemented as long as drilling regulations remain subservient to the oil industry. Last Thursday in Arlington, the Environmental Protection Agency held a public hearing to discuss proposed rules aimed at curtailing environmentally harmful practices, but the wheels of the federal government turn slowly.

The Texas legislature can act more quickly and implement laws that make managing natural gas part of the cost of doing business for oil companies. While the industry may initially protest, the profit motive will ultimately mandate their compliance if only to ensure continued access to some of the largest oilfields in the country.

After all, the last thing that Texas needs is more fires.

Marc Anderson is a 3rd-year cell biology Ph.D. student and may be reached at [email protected].

 

4 Comments

  • This is such a sad state that the energy market is facing. This is so wasteful! That natural gas does have uses you know! So why not make use of it instead of wasting it! There will come a day when it will be needed and there won't be any left because the oil tycoons burned it all away. When that happens, oil companies, don't come crying to me saying I told you so!

  • The market will determine what is done with natural gas. Government determines legislation that makes B of A raise your debit card fees.
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    It's the Market STUPID!!! Not government.
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    Is government responsible for the success of Apple? Of course not. If Democrats was in charge, they would be in the pocket of their chosen company that kicks back donations to the DNC. Apple simply provides products that the [public wants.
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    Government is suppose to get out of the way. Yes, some regulation is required, but not to the point that government hinders growth in the economy.
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    UH students, if you want a job when you graduate, you better be thinking about voting Republican.

    • What's the point of bringing up Apple? Maybe you could have provided some relevancy and pointed out a successful oil company. It's not like other hardware companies like Dell, Sony, etc. don't "simply provide products the [public wants" too.

      Also, you should consider taking some courses in Microeconomics and perhaps Macroeconomics as well. This is covered in there.

  • Just got a correction here, flaring isn't used to cut cost it's a preventative measure so gas doesn't ignite in the wellbore. The majority of the gas IS collected and sent down a pipeline for retail. However when drilling the well, it is not possible to collect 100% of the gas. Leaving it down hole with a drill bit grinding through rock (causing sparks) is not safe. In fact the EPA approved flaring to prevent blowouts. Maybe a little research should help you before writing any further articles.

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