U.S. Natural Gas Venting, Flaring Reach Record High

摘要

The volume of U.S. natural gas that was vented and flared in 2019 reached a record-high annual average of 1.48 Bcf/d (41.9 MMcm/d) in 2019, as crude oil production outpaced the construction of pipelines to transport associated natural gas, government statistics show.The percentage of natural gas that was vented and flared during the year increased to 1.3% of gross withdrawals, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in its 2020 Natural Gas Annual report, published in December. North Dakota and Texas combined accounted for 85%, or 1.3 Bcf/d (37 MMcm/d), of those volumes, it said.Texas accounted for 47% and North Dakota accounted 38% of the total U.S. vented and flared natural gas. State agencies in Texas and North Dakota are working with oil producers to limit the need for flaring without shutting down or affecting crude oil production from new wells. Venting is banned in North Dakota and restricted in Texas.