es8b01345_si_001.pdf (6.15 MB)
A Techno-Economic Analysis of Methane Mitigation Potential from Reported Venting at Oil Production Sites in Alberta
journal contribution
posted on 2018-10-19, 23:48 authored by David
R. Tyner, Matthew R. JohnsonThe
technical and economic potential for reducing methane emissions
from reported venting and flaring volumes in 2015 at 9422 upstream
oil production sites in Alberta, Canada was evaluated in a comprehensive
site-by-site analysis. For each site, up to six different technologies
for mitigation were considered, based on conserving gas into pipelines,
combusting gas on site, or using gas for on-site fuel. Economic viability
of mitigation was calculated using current economic parameters and
gas price projections on a net present cost basis. Monte Carlo simulations
suggest that a 45% reduction in methane emissions (consistent with
current federal and provincial targets) from reported flaring and
venting is technically and economically feasible at overall average
costs ranging from $–2.98 CAD/tCO2e (i.e., a profit)
to $2.51 CAD/tCO2e with no one site paying more than $11.02
CAD/tCO2e. If the reported baseline emissions are augmented
to reflect results of recent airborne measurements, overall economics
of mitigation generally improve due to larger available gas volumes
at many sites. Considering federal carbon price targets of $50 CAD/tCO2e by 2022, there are relevant economic opportunities for mitigating
methane from reported venting and flaring volumes well beyond a 45%
reduction. This could partially offset the challenge in addressing
the additional methane emissions from fugitive and unreported venting
sources.