Wintershall has joined the international initiative against the flaring of associated gas during oil production.
The aim of the “Zero Routine Flaring by 2030” initiative, which was launched by the World Bank together with UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, is to end the worldwide flaring of associated gas during routine operations by 2030. Members include governments, oil producers and development organisations.
Each year, around 140 billion cubic metres of associated gas are flared worldwide during oil production. That corresponds to around thirty per cent of the gas consumed each year in the EU. At the same time, greenhouse gases are also released: more than 300 million tonnes of CO2 worldwide.
Generating Electricity, Heat and Steam
Wintershall already met the goals of the initiative in 2012: since then the company has eliminated the flaring of around 500 million cubic metres of associated gas per year during routine operations.
To achieve this, Wintershall has invested in innovative technology at the production sites and uses the associated gas in diverse ways. In Germany, the associated gas is used, for example, for generating electricity, heat and steam. In Libya, the energy generated is used for operating the oil production facilities and to generate electricity.
Picture: The flare stack at the Fife Ethylene Plant at Mossmorran (copyright Richard Webb and licensed for reuse).
