Reliable, Low Cost Flare Gas Metering for Emissions Reporting

Pennsylvania-based Thermal Instrument Company, a 55 year old designer and manufacturer of industrial precision made thermal mass flow meters, has recently launched its flare gas flow measurement system for use in the upstream oil & gas exploration areas. This flare gas flow metering package brings companies into mandated monitoring compliance on flared emissions as stated by state and federal regulatory agencies. This Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reporting Rule, 40 CFR Part 98, Subpart W is pertinent to reporting requirements and data collection for the upstream oil & gas exploration industry.

In March, 2014, the U.S. EPA published some proposed revisions to this 40 CFR Part 98, Subpart W to include general applicability, revised calculation methods and reporting requirements for specified emission sources within the source category, and some other changes to monitoring standards. Additionally, a Subpart OOOO (Quad O) has become another EPA standard for upstream & midstream gas exploration emissions compliance that must be met.

There are a small handful of oil & gas exploration companies taking the proactive approach early on to engineer the flow monitoring instrumentation onto the well pad site for monitoring the mass flow exiting the flare. At this point, the EPA has defined January 1, 2015 as a technically feasible date when the proposed revisions will be effective for this mandated monitoring and recording of flow exiting the flares at oil & gas exploration well sites.

In cooperation with a major gas exploration company in the Texas area of the Eagle Ford Shale formation, Thermal Instrument Company enhanced and completed their total flow monitoring system. Even with changes in gas composition, the flow monitoring system from Thermal Instrument Company was very repeatable and accurate and the customer was amazed at the less than five minute start-up time. The system can vary from just the flow measurement design to the whole package including solar panels, totalization module, and battery management hardware.

For more information on this flare gas flow system, contact Thermal Instrument Company at (215) 355-8400.