Upstream Industry Flaring, Incinerating and Venting

Directive 060

Upstream Industry Flaring,
Incinerating and Venting

Field Surveillance & Operations Branch
2010

Presented by Bill Starling

• The ERCB’s goal is to have the
upstream petroleum industry continue
to reduce the volume of solution gas
routinely flared, incinerated and vented

• Significant reduction in flaring has been
accomplished by the upstream
petroleum industry.

Agenda

• Decision tree analysis/Dispersion
Modeling

• Solution gas conservation
• Temporary and well test requirements
• Venting
• Contacts
• Questions

Decision Tree Analysis

It does not have to be complicated but
these questions must be asked and
documented:

• Can flaring, incinerating and venting be
eliminated? No? Why Not?

• Can flaring, incinerating and venting be
reduced?

• Will flaring, incinerating and venting meet
performance standards?

Decision Tree Analysis

Dispersion Modeling H2S Flaring

Remember

• For flaring or incineration dispersion
modeling must be conducted for gas
containing greater than 10 mol/kmol
H2S (1% H2S), regardless of volume

Solution Gas Conservation

• Economic evaluation must be done if
greater than 900 m3/day

• Not required to evaluate sites less than
900 m3/day

• If it is economical the gas must be
conserved

• Where conservation is required, must
shut in after testing until conservation is
implemented

Solution Gas Conservation

• No flaring if greater than 900 m3/day
within 500 m of a residence

• Clustering must be considered within
3 km radius
We encourage the company with the
largest flare or vent volumes to lead
the negotiations

Flaring Limitations Solution Gas
Conserving Facilities

Planned/unplanned flaring lasting greater
than 4 hours:
• Must reduce inlet gas volumes by 75%
• Wells with greater than 10% H2S must

be shut in
Planned flaring less than 4 hours:
• Must reduce inlet gas volumes by 50%

Notification Requirements

Flaring at a permanent facility:
• Field Centre if greater than 4 hours

and/or 30 103m3
• Residents within 500 m if greater than 4

hours
• Must be done 24 hours prior for

planned
• As soon as possible for unplanned

Temporary and Well Test Flaring
and Incinerating

Well Test
Flaring/Incinerating/Venting

Well Test Time Limits

(per zone, non-consecutive, include clean up
from moment valve is opened)

• Oil and Gas – 72 hours
• Dry CBM development well – 120

hours

Well Test
Flaring/Incinerating/Venting

When cleanup is complete, well flow
stabilized and all other ERCB
requirements are met,
flaring/venting/incinerating must be
discontinued



Extensions
Temporary Flaring

Well Test
Flaring/Incinerating/Venting

Acceptable reasons for extension:
 Cleanup not complete
 Stabilized flow not reached
 Mechanical problems with the well

• Operator must provide notification to
Field Centre (via DDS) in advance and
provide comments

• Update resident notification if necessary

Flare Permits

• Required to flare or incinerate gas
greater than 50 mol/kmol H2S (5%) or
from a critical sour well

• Required if test volumes exceed the
volume allowance threshold

• Not required if the flaring takes place at
a permanent flare and is within the
design and limits of the facility licence



Flare Permit Exemption

No permit required if:
 Sulphur (equivalent) rate is < 1
tonne/day
 Flow rate is < 10 e3m3/d
 Total volume is < 50 e3m3 over the
duration

• Modeling conducted and meets Alberta

Ambient Air Quality Objectives (AAAQO)

• The ERCB must be notified prior to

commencement

Venting

• If economic, conserve
• Gas must be burned if it will support

combustion (regardless of volume)
• Cannot be vented if greater than 1% H2S
• Must not result in off-lease odours
• Must not exceed Alberta Ambient Air

Quality Objectives (AAAQO)

Temporary Venting

• Limited to 2 103m3 and 24 hours
• Does not include clean-out phase for

well testing and servicing
• Notification still applies (i.e. venting

greater than 4 hours)

Notifications

• Public and ERCB notifications need to
take place at least 24 hours prior to the
valve being opened on the well, NOT
when there is sufficient gas to support
combustion

• If you don’t think you can do your
operations in 72 hours, remember the 3
reasons to exceed the time limits



Contacts

Contact ERCB Red Deer Field Centre
at (403) 340-5454

to speak with any staff

Calgary Contacts

Contact the Technical Operations
Directive 060 Team at (403) 297-6179

• James Vaughan – Team Lead, handles Directive

060 policy development, works with CASA, other
Canadian Regulators, solution gas conservation

• Henry Ewa – Solution Gas Conservation
• Meredith Richardson – Temporary Sour Gas

and Volume Exceedance Approvals

• Alana Nelson – Temporary Sour Gas and Volume

Exceedance Approvals