The Global Gas Flaring Tracker Report revealed that global gas flare volumes had increased by 7% in 2023 – the highest volume recorded over the past five years. The increase of gas flaring from nine billion cubic metres (bcm) to 148 billion bcm in 2023 added approximately 381 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (C02e) to the atmosphere. The concern is that once again flaring is on the increase after a notable decrease between 2021 and 2022 and that the impact of this pollution will be felt across the environment and human health for some time to come.
Further research undertaken by a BBC special investigation found that the pollution caused by the flaring in the Middle East is severely damaging the quality of air and harming citizens’ health. One of the primary causes of death in the region is respiratory disease, and asthma cases are the highest in the world.
In 2023, Iran saw the largest rise in gas flaring, increasing by 3.2 bcm (19%) alongside a 10% boost in oil production. This led to an 8% rise in flaring intensity from 14.3 m3/bbl in 2022 to 15.4 m3/bbl in 2023, the highest since satellite estimates began in 2012.
However, flaring has the potential to be transformative.
If gas flaring practices are better managed and resources harnessed more effectively, then it is possible to measurably reduce emissions. Flare gas recovery can transform the Middle East’s energy diversification and sustainability agenda, providing sufficient power to generate sustainable energy that can reinvent the region’s energy portfolio. The gas being flared is enough to double the energy supply currently available to the entirety of sub-Saharan Africa. Imagine what access to that power could do to the energy profile of AMEA. It could transform energy provision and profit margins – companies engaged in flaring could significantly reduce their energy cost burden by leveraging reliable flare-to-power solutions.
Flare-to-power technologies and solutions offer an immediate and sustainable alternative to companies currently engaged in the practice of flaring. They can harness the energy potential, reduce their environmental impact, and transform the waste product into a valuable resource. Creating a reliable source of power at an optimum total cost of energy (TCOE) is an ideal value-add for companies, especially those operating in regions with limited or unreliable energy provision.
Using flare-to-power technology, companies can contribute to economic development and improve the quality of life for those living with the toxic gases released by flaring. As the BBC report highlighted, PM2.5, NO1, benzopyrene (BaP) and NO2 are the most common pollutants associated with flaring and they are connected to asthma, heart disease, strokes and cancer. The gases are also contributing significantly to CO2 and methane production which are affecting the stability of the global climate.
Flare-to-power solution just asks that companies invest in the infrastructure they need to capture and use flared gas correctly. However, this infrastructure is costly and flared gas is not always a reliable source of power. Gas flaring isn’t consistent which makes it challenging to rely on it as a primary energy source. But companies can step into a future that prioritises sustainability and offers them increased energy security, they just need to adopt a multi-faceted approach that takes their existing infrastructure, requirements and needs into account. That said, Aggreko has a solution to overcome all these challenges.
Aggreko, a leading energy solutions provider, has developed a range of solutions designed to support a company’s move towards flare-to-power. They are scalable, bespoke, and flexible, allowing companies to undertake a controlled transition that optimises their use of resources, which Aggreko’s emission catalytic reduction kit eliminates all emissions completely. The goal for Aggreko is to help companies realise their sustainability goals and lead the way in environmental consideration through its ‘Energising Change’ ethos and ‘Accelerating Transition’ initiative. Aggreko’s technology can help companies play a critical role in transforming the harmful gas flaring practice into a sustainable, transformative opportunity.