When it comes to using flare stacks or flame arresters, it is essential to ensure the safety and reliability of the equipment and the processes. Also, flare stack design and spacing requirements must be adhered to with regards to standards such as Directive 060. Read on to learn more about the best management practices (BMP) for facility flare reduction.
Flare Management Ideas & Strategy
Flare or vent stacks are a crucial part of safe facility design and operation. This is why all operators must work to eliminate the routine flaring and decrease non-routine flare events in a way that is technically and economically feasible. It includes the following essential aspects:
- Design and Operating Compliance
The spacing requirements and flare stack design and operation can help prevent equipment damage, ensure the safety of personnel, and reduce the chances of hazard. It must be as per the safety standards, including, but not limited to the following:- Directive 060 for Upstream Petroleum Industry Flaring, Incinerating, and Venting
- Alberta Boilers Safety Association (ABSA) Safety Codes Act and Pressure Equipment Safety Regulations
- ASME BPV (American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel) Code
- Flare Reduction and Continuous Improvement
As technologies improve, the operators must examine and re-evaluate the feasibility of reducing flaring continuously. This ensures that they follow the best practices for flare reduction.
Let us now look at a few useful ways to decrease flare vapours in oil and gas facilities.
Ideas to Conserve Flare Vapours
Here are a few ideas to conserve routine venting and flaring:
- Install a vapour recovery compressor and return the vapours into the gas process.
- Use the vent or flare vapours in a natural gas electric generator. Use the power generated to supply electricity to the facility or sell it to the electric power grid.
- Ensure that all equipment is adequately sized to prevent overpressure and relief of gas into the flare system from Pressure Safety Valves (PSV) and Emergency Shutdown Valves (ESD)
- Add an additional level of overpressure protection that will shut in production with an ESD valve and prevent a PSV from relieving.
- Recover solution gas for beneficial injection into a gas or oil pool, i.e., for pressure maintenance and enhanced oil recovery.
The following are commonly used safety valves:
- Pressure Safety Valve
It operates by releasing fluid from the plant once a predetermined maximum pressure is reached. This helps to reduce excess pressure in the equipment safely. - Emergency Shutdown Valve
A shutdown valve is a part of a safety system. It is an actuated valve designed to prevent the flow of external gases and hydrocarbons or hazardous fluids. It offers protection against potential threats to people and damage to equipment or the environment.
Using Power Generation for Flare Reduction
Power generation is a means of conserving solution gas. It helps to consider generating power if on-site power is necessary or when the distribution lines are nearby. The AER may examine vented or flared volumes around 500 m3/day if the gas is stable.
Aspire Energy Resources Inc. is a trusted oil and gas equipment supplier. We have a wide range of equipment in stock ready to be put into service. We offer flexible rent, lease, and financing options to our clients. We follow the best practices and adhere to standards such as Directive 060 when it comes to designing and installing flare stacks and flame arresters.
For more information about our portable flare stacks for sale, please call us at 403-314-5422 or toll-free 1-800-993-9958.
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