As the oil and gas industry continues to face increasing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change, new standards are being adopted that affect not only new oil and gas facilities, but also legacy operations not subject to past regulatory requirements. Leading the push to reduce methane emissions has been the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In most instances, reductions in emissions have been mandated and venting and flaring in non-emergency situations has been banned.
The federal government is not the only regulating body currently addressing methane emissions. Many states including New Mexico, Colorado, and Pennsylvania have developed standards and guidelines targeting oil and gas operations.
At Flogistix, our main objective is to lead the oil and gas industry to an emissions-free future with our cutting-edge technologies. The backbone of our approach is the Vapor Recovery Unit (VRU). The VRU uses an electric motor or natural-gas fueled engine to power a compressor which collects and compresses low-volume gas streams containing methane. This gas is then injected into a sales gathering line, fuel gas system, or a meter run. This process eliminates the need to vent or flare the excess gas and saves money.
When EPA revised the New Source Performance Standards, Subpart OOOO in 2012, Agency findings revealed that using a vapor recovery unit could achieve 95 percent or higher VOC emission reduction efficiency. Research since then supports that vapor recovery technology can achieve this high capture rate for not only VOCs but also methane.
With these new regulations aimed at managing methane recently enacted by various federal agencies and state bodies, oil and gas producers are being challenged to understand the impact of these changes on their businesses. Deciding a path forward and which product or service can best meet their needs can be daunting. As changes are made to long-standing guidelines, requirements are now in place for the deployment of technology solutions to curtail methane emissions across the entire supply chain.
For the marginal well operator, these decisions are especially difficult as many of the solutions are cost-prohibited for a low producing well. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 750,000 marginal wells are in production nationwide. The companies managing these wells are looking for options that allow for regulatory compliance while maintaining profitability.
Oil and gas companies have driven change and innovation for decades. At Flogistix, customer feedback guides our “out-of-the-box” thinking and leads to advanced problem solving. The desire to help marginal well producers sustain their businesses during this monumental regulatory shift led to the design of the VRX Series of vapor recovery units which are engineered to deliver the efficient and reliable outcomes that Flogistix is known for but are designed for smaller production wells.
These specially developed units bring the powerful Flogistix automation to a family of smaller machines that capture natural gas vapors at the wellhead with superior accuracy and an appealing ROI. The fast-acting and broad range speed control coupled with a throttling recycle valve allows for smooth operation and precise suction pressure or tank pressure control. With a smaller footprint and minimal power consumption, the VRX Series is ideally suited for use on marginal wells.
Each unit is fitted with industrial computing that provides customers the opportunity to monitor their pressure control remotely, providing a verifiable audit trail supported by data. The Flogistix comprehensive platform includes several proprietary technologies built for the sensitive data processing needed in this new regulatory environment.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), in 2019, 80% of domestic energy production was from fossil fuels. As the need for fossil fuels increases, companies are looking for solutions. Partnering with Flogistix allows producers to meet demand while protecting the environment, complying with applicable regulations, and providing investor confidence. At Flogistix, we understand navigating these new rules and regulations can be overwhelming. Let our team of petroleum engineers, technology experts, and specialized oil and gas professionals provide vapor recovery and other atmospheric solutions for your emissions needs.