FlaringReduction
Flaring, or controlled
combustionof excess
gaseousmaterial, is often
one of themain contributors
tooil andgas companies’
carbon footprint. Gas flaring
is, however, a necessary and
essential component of gas
refinery operations. Flaring
is used to eliminatewaste
gas or as a safety system to
release non-waste gas; the
latter is necessary to ease
the strainon equipment and
protect it fromdamagedue
tooverpressure, especially
when re-startingproduction.
Reduction in the rate of
flaringwhilemaintaining
optimum safety and
productivity is a goal of all
oil andgas companies.
DolphinEnergy’s flaring
rates rank among thebest
attainedby all Qatar oil and
gas companies. Flaring
accounts for 10%of Dolphin
Energy’sGHG emissions.
In 2011, DolphinEnergy
reduced its flaringby 33%;
this significant reduction
resulted in record-low flaring
figures since operations
began in2008. Duringnormal
operations in2011, Dolphin
Energy achieved an average
flaringoutput below0.3%,
which is below the limit
targetedbyQatar Petroleum
(QP) and theMinistry of
Environment. The company’s
average flaring across all
its operations in 2011was
0.4%, as a result of the
significantly increased flaring
that occurredduring start-
upof operations following
planned shutdowns.
DolphinEnergy continues
to researchandpursue
opportunities to further
reduce its flaring rates. Over
thepast few years, aprogram
was launched tomaintain
andmonitor pressure relief
valves; theprogram identified
and immediately repaired
valves leakingexcessgas to
the flareheader via internal
bypassing.
The company has also taken
aproactive approach to
achieve reductions in flaring
via the adoptionof stringent
preventative and corrective
maintenanceprocedures.
Inaddition toprocedural
improvements, Dolphin
Energyhas strengthened its
flaring reductionbywriting
itscommitment to the
environment directly into the
company’spolicies. In2011,
DolphinEnergy’soperations in
Qatar experienced technical
difficultieswith the two
available sulfur recoveryunits
(SRUs),which led to several
shutdownsand restarts.
Inorder to resolve the
difficultiesand streamline
operationswhileminimizing
shutdowns, DolphinEnergy
reacted immediatelyand
chose tooperateusinga
singleSRU. This isaclear
illustrationof thecompany’s
philosophyof placing long-
termenvironmental protection
over short-term sales.
DolphinEnergy’s operations
andproductionwere
ultimately unaffectedby the
difficulties, while at the same
time the solution improved
the company’s ability to
safeguard the environment.
Both achievementswere
madepossibleby the
company’s environment-
friendly policies.
OurOperations teammade theconscious
decision tostopproduction rather than flare
more…Flaringasa result of our normal
day-to-daybusinessmeets, andsometimes
exceeds, the0.3%mandatedpercentage.
But that doesnotmeanweshouldn’t strive
to reduce it even further.
Alastair Olver
Deputy VicePresident
Technical Qatar Operations
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