1. A flattening in production. When production increases, flaring intensity goes down because the flared volume is spread across more barrels. Shale slowdown arrested that trend.
2. Shale oil wells getting ‘gassier’. As tier 1 acreage is exhausted, drillers move onto subprime resources that bring more associated gas to surface. A higher gas/oil ratio often means more flaring (unless gas evacuation infrastructure exists, which is rarely the case)
I'd imagine technology/efficiency, relative price of nat gas, and transportation infrastructure all play a role in explaining the wide differences when looking country-by-country? What are other major factors?
Russia has lost its main gas export market so already has more gas than it can sell. Associated gas adds to the problem so flaring is a convenient solution. Maximising oil revenues always takes precedence over emissions, especially during wartime
Do we know why the drop in flaring intensity has slowed in the US?
If I had to guess, I would say two factors:
1. A flattening in production. When production increases, flaring intensity goes down because the flared volume is spread across more barrels. Shale slowdown arrested that trend.
2. Shale oil wells getting ‘gassier’. As tier 1 acreage is exhausted, drillers move onto subprime resources that bring more associated gas to surface. A higher gas/oil ratio often means more flaring (unless gas evacuation infrastructure exists, which is rarely the case)
I'd imagine technology/efficiency, relative price of nat gas, and transportation infrastructure all play a role in explaining the wide differences when looking country-by-country? What are other major factors?
Russia has lost its main gas export market so already has more gas than it can sell. Associated gas adds to the problem so flaring is a convenient solution. Maximising oil revenues always takes precedence over emissions, especially during wartime