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There are some advantages to incineration as compared
to flaring and venting. Flaring does not achieve 100
per cent combustion, while incineration is able to do
so. Flaring causes large visible flames and noise concerns,
while there are no visible flames or noise concerns
with incineration.
There are some advantages to incineration as compared
to flaring and venting. Flaring does not achieve 100
per cent combustion, while incineration is able to do
so. Flaring causes large visible flames and noise concerns,
while there are no visible flames or noise concerns
with incineration.
When we need to put a section of line out of service
for integrity work or new construction, we typically
use a portable trailer mounted compressor to transfer
the gas in the isolated line into an operating line
instead of venting the gas to atmosphere. Doing so helps
us avoid venting methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
However, even after transferring the gas into another
operating line, some gas still remains in the line and
is normally vented to atmosphere. In November, at Caron
Compressor Station (near Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan) we
used an incinerator to combust the remaining gas instead
of venting any gas to atmosphere.
Incineration still releases greenhouse gas emissions,
explains Srikanth Venugopal, TransCanada environmental
advisor. "However, there is a potential 80 per cent
reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by incinerating
methane rather than venting it," he says. Methane is
21 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 100
year time period. When methane is incinerated, it is
combusted into carbon dioxide, which means fewer greenhouse
gases are emitted.
"The pilot test was very encouraging," says Srikanth.
"Approximately 75 per cent of the remaining gas was
incinerated. Initial calculations estimate emissions
reduced were 1,100 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent."
For more information on blowdown incineration, please
contact Srikanth
Venugopal (403) 920-7786.
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