Gas flaring is the controlled combustion of natural gas that occurs during the extraction of crude oil and other fossil fuels. This practice involves burning the “associated gas”—a mixture of hydrocarbons, primarily methane, that rises to the surface with oil—in an open flame or at the top of a tall stack. Flaring has been a common practice in the energy sector for over 160 years. It is used to dispose of gas that cannot be economically collected or used, making it a persistent source of emissions in oil-producing regions globally.
Operational Necessity of Routine Flaring
Routine flaring is primarily a consequence of economic and logistical challenges faced by oil and gas operators. The practice occurs when the associated natural gas is considered a waste product rather than a marketable commodity. This decision often stems from the remote location of the oil field, where infrastructure to transport the gas is absent.
Building pipelines, compression facilities, or processing plants to handle the gas is often significantly more expensive than the revenue the gas would generate. In these instances, the gas is labeled as “stranded” because there is no commercially viable path to market. Furthermore, the quality of the associated gas can necessitate flaring, such as when it contains high concentrations of contaminants or has a low energy content, making it unsuitable for immediate sale.
Routine flaring is distinguished by its continuous nature, which is tied to the ongoing production of oil. It is the cheapest and simplest way to manage the pressure and volume of the associated gas brought to the surface. Operators choose this method when the regulatory environment allows it and the financial return on gas capture investment is negative. This combustion represents a significant waste of a valuable energy resource.
Distinguishing Routine from Emergency Flaring
The term “routine flaring” describes the continuous burning of associated petroleum gas during normal oil production operations. This type of flaring is predictable, often permitted by regulators, and occurs because facilities for gas capture, re-injection, or dispatch to a market are insufficient or absent. Routine flaring is a planned operational choice based on economic and infrastructural constraints.
Conversely, emergency flaring, sometimes called safety flaring, is an unplanned event necessary to prevent catastrophic failure. This type of flaring functions as a safety relief system, rapidly de-pressurizing equipment during unexpected malfunctions, process upsets, or sudden spikes in pressure. It is a required safety measure to avoid explosions or dangerous incidents resulting from an uncontrolled release of highly volatile gas.
Non-routine flaring also encompasses planned, short-duration events like initial well testing, facility start-ups, or essential maintenance shutdowns. While these events are planned, they are not part of the continuous gas disposal process that defines routine flaring. Routine flaring is the practice the global community is actively trying to eliminate because it is avoidable under different economic and infrastructure conditions.
Environmental and Public Health Consequences
The combustion from routine flaring releases a significant volume of pollutants that impact both the global climate and the health of local communities. Flaring contributes to climate change through the emission of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide (\(\text{CO}_2\)) and methane (\(\text{CH}_4\)). Although flaring converts most of the methane to \(\text{CO}_2\), flares are not 100% efficient, and any uncombusted methane released is a potent greenhouse gas.
Flares also produce black carbon, a powerful short-lived climate forcer that absorbs solar radiation and darkens ice and snow, accelerating melting. The health impacts are particularly acute for the millions of people who live near flaring sites.
The cocktail of emissions includes sulfur dioxide (\(\text{SO}_2\)), nitrogen oxides (\(\text{NO}_x\)), and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), including benzene. Exposure to these toxic compounds is linked to severe public health outcomes in nearby populations. Researchers have found associations between flaring emissions and increased risks of pediatric asthma, respiratory problems, and preterm births. Annually, the health damages from flaring and venting in the United States alone are estimated to cost billions of dollars and contribute to hundreds of premature deaths. These local air quality issues create a disproportionate burden on communities situated near oil and gas production areas.
Global Efforts to Eliminate Routine Flaring
Global partnerships and technological advancements are working toward eliminating routine flaring within the next decade. The World Bank launched the Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 (ZRF) initiative, committing governments and oil companies to end the practice no later than 2030. Endorsers commit to providing regulatory environments and field development plans that incorporate the sustainable use of associated gas for new projects.
Technological solutions are being deployed to capture and monetize gas that would otherwise be burned. These efforts require regulatory mandates that encourage investment in gas utilization infrastructure instead of allowing the resource to be wasted. The focus is on finding cost-effective ways to manage the associated gas, including:
- Mobile or small-scale systems for converting the gas into Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) or Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
- Using the gas immediately for Gas-to-Power generation, supplying electricity to local communities or field operations.
- Implementing flare gas recovery systems, which capture and process the gas stream.
Progress is visible, demonstrating that significant reductions in flaring are achievable through concerted regulatory and technological action.