UK Offshore Flaring Falls 22%
Flaring in the UK sector of the North Sea fell 22% in 2020 from the previous year as production facilities cut the overall volume to 33bn ft³, according to upstream regulator Oil & Gas Authority (OGA). However the venting of various greenhouse gases (GHG) rose.
The quantity of gas flared was the lowest on the UK continental shelf (UKCS) on OGA records, it said.
There was also a drop in the amount of gas flared per barrel of oil produced, from 114 ft³/barrel to 95 ft³ in 2020, a 10-year low. This measure has now fallen for three consecutive years from 128 in 2017, OGA said.
The OGA issues the consents for flaring and venting of gas and is closely scrutinising requests from operators, in both existing production and new field development plans.
In addition the government's energy White Paper, published in December 2020, committed to the World Bank's 'Zero routine flaring by 2030' initiative, and further pledged to work with regulators to eliminate the practice as soon as possible ahead of that date.
The venting of GHG, which fell significantly from 2018 to 2019, rose to 3.6bn ft³ last year, an increase of 0.42bn ft³. However 0.07bn ft³ less methane was flared in 2020, resulting in 0.79bn ft³, but the venting of CO2 (and other non-hydrocarbon gas) rose 0.49bn ft³ to 2.8bn ft³.
OGA said it will soon be publishing net zero expectations, "We will continue monitoring closely and reflect that in decision-making when operators apply for consents and authorisations for flaring and venting," it said.