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Thoma ED, Deshmukh P, Logan R, et al. Assessment of Uinta Basin Oil and Natural Gas Well Pad Pneumatic Controller Emissions. J Environ Prot (Irvine, Calif). 2017;8(4):394-415doi: 10.4236/jep.2017.84029.
Thoma, E. D., Deshmukh, P., Logan, R., Stovern, M., Dresser, C., & Brantley, H. L. (2017). Assessment of Uinta Basin Oil and Natural Gas Well Pad Pneumatic Controller Emissions. Journal of environmental protection, 8(4), 394-415. https://doi.org/10.4236/jep.2017.84029
Thoma, Eben D, et al. "Assessment of Uinta Basin Oil and Natural Gas Well Pad Pneumatic Controller Emissions." Journal of environmental protection vol. 8,4 (2017): 394-415. doi: https://doi.org/10.4236/jep.2017.84029
Thoma ED, Deshmukh P, Logan R, Stovern M, Dresser C, Brantley HL. Assessment of Uinta Basin Oil and Natural Gas Well Pad Pneumatic Controller Emissions. J Environ Prot (Irvine, Calif). 2017 Apr;8(4):394-415. doi: 10.4236/jep.2017.84029. PMID: 30319880; PMCID: PMC6178829.
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J Environ Prot (Irvine, Calif). 2017 Apr;8(4):394-415. doi: 10.4236/jep.2017.84029.

Assessment of Uinta Basin Oil and Natural Gas Well Pad Pneumatic Controller Emissions.

Journal of environmental protection

Eben D Thoma, Parikshit Deshmukh, Russell Logan, Michael Stovern, Chris Dresser, Halley L Brantley

Affiliations

  1. Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, U.S. EPA, Durham, NC, USA.
  2. Jacobs Technology Inc., Durham, NC, USA.
  3. Region 8, U.S. EPA, Denver, CO, USA.
  4. ORISE Participant, U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Durham, NC, USA.

PMID: 30319880 PMCID: PMC6178829 DOI: 10.4236/jep.2017.84029

Abstract

In the fall of 2016, a field study was conducted in the Uinta Basin Utah to improve information on oil and natural gas well pad pneumatic controllers (PCs). A total of 80 PC systems at five oil sites (supporting six wells) and three gas sites (supporting 12 wells) were surveyed, and emissions data were produced using a combination of measurements and engineering emission estimates. Ninety-six percent of the PCs surveyed were low actuation frequency intermittent vent type. The overall whole gas emission rate for the study was estimated at 0.36 scf/h with the majority of emissions occurring from three continuous vent PCs (1.0 scf/h average) and eleven (14%) malfunctioning intermittent vent PC systems (1.6 scf/h average). Oil sites employed, on average 10.3 PC systems per well compared to 1.5 for gas sites. Oil and gas sites had group average PC emission rates of 0.28 scf/h and 0.67 scf/h, respectively, with this difference due in part to site selection procedures. The PC system types encountered, the engineering emissions estimate approach, and comparisons to measurements are described. Survey methods included identification of malfunctioning PC systems and emission measurements with augmented high volume sampling and installed mass flow meters, each providing a somewhat different picture of emissions that are elucidated through example cases.

Keywords: Methane; Oil and Natural Gas Production; Pneumatic Controller Emissions; Uinta Basin; Volatile Organic Compounds

Conflict of interest statement

Declare The authors declare no competing financial interest.

References

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