Effects of Gas Flaring in North Dakota

Project Outline
Oil/Gas Development & Environmental

By

Dan Mitchell & Abhishek Ray

1.

Introduction
In 2012 alone, flaring resulted in the loss of approximately $1 billion in fuel and the
GHG emissions equivalent of adding one million cars to the road- CERES, 2013
Increased negative environmental impacts

Flaring in the United States

Why is started?
When it started?
Where it started?
2.
Flaring in North Dakota.
Laws of venting
Hazards of venting
Types of gas being flared
How many wells being flared (10,240 wells in Bakken 7,487 being flared)
Percent being flared (21%)
3. Effects of long term flaring in North Dakota.
Types of pollutants
Air currents (atmospheric science)
Effects on other states (jet stream, how far it can travel)
Volume of pollutants in being release (volume of co2)
Effects of on human health
4. Limitation on how long North Dakota can flare
ND commissioner
EPA allowable PPM
Dakota Petroleum Council
5. Possibilities on how to address the current situation of flaring in North Dakota.
Facilities near the oil fields (GIS Map)
Gas capture (Carbon capture and storage (CCS) (or carbon capture and sequestration) is
the process of capturing waste carbon dioxide (CO ) from large point sources, such as
fossil fuel power plants, transporting it to a storage site, and depositing it where it will not
enter the atmosphere, normally an underground geological)
Converting NG to liquid
Transporting them in container semi-trucks
Building infrastructure in the form of pipelines to transport the natural gas
6. Ultimate goal
Limit use of flaring (take down to 5% or less)
Process most if possible
7. Conclusion
Research new sources of energy (other than fossil fuel)
Possibilities of new types of energy and Earths recovery
2

Sources
1.

http://www.inforum.com/news/3863725-flaring-progress-burning-issue-north-dakota
2. https://www.dnvgl.com/technology-innovation/gas-flaring/
3. http://www.northdakotaoilcan.com/home-menu/impacts-solutions/flaring/
4. https://www3.epa.gov/ttnchie1/old/ap42/ch13/s05/reference/ref_01c13s05_jan1995.pdf
5. http://content.lib.utah.edu/utils/getfile/collection/AFRC/id/14139/filename/14153.pdf
6. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/north-dakota-gas-flaring-doubles-pumping-co2-into-air17 212
7.http://research.noaa.gov/News/NewsArchive/LatestNews/TabId/684/ArtMID/1372/ArticleID/1
1346/New-NOAA-led-study-measures-soot-from-North-Dakota-flaring-in-oil-and-gasfields.aspx
8. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/04102015/natural-gas-flared-north-dakota-oil-wells-studyraises-questions-methane-hydrocarbons
9. http://www.desmogblog.com/investors-no-more-flaring-fracked-oil-and-gas-bakken-shale