Decarbonisation Technology - February 2024 Issue

environment. According to the EPA Greenhouse Gas Inventory, eliminating all gas-actuated pneumatic valves could result in a 25% reduction in all methane emissions related to oil and gas operations. The oil and gas industry is exploring electrification to replace the gas-actuated valves at the well pad. Replacing these kinds of pneumatics with electrically actuated ones will help achieve the methane emission reduction targets and comply with the EPA regulations. Leading valve technology companies are now offering solenoid valves that provide simpler and more reliable valve devices with zero methane emissions. Some hybrid solutions use a three- way pilot valve that utilises a generator to send compressed air to an actuator that opens and closes the valve. Although this approach eliminates methane emissions, it requires multiple components, and there are costs associated with running the compressor. Those costs can accumulate on well pad systems such as two- and three-phase separators and free water knockout drums with multiple valves. In addition, they typically demand more electricity than is available at many sites. Simpler and more effective solenoid pilot valve solutions are also available. There are now solenoid valves that support

a reliable pilot valve replacement that oil and gas producers can more rapidly implement. Smarter monitoring to control thief hatch emissions It is estimated that close to half of all GHG emissions in major oil-producing basins are from oil storage tanks. In response, equipment companies and producers are installing better- designed and tighter sealing thief hatches, which are points of entry that allow personnel to access the tanks for maintenance and other tasks. While tighter sealing hatches are a good first step, even the best, most secure hatch will not seal if it is not closed. Similar to well pads, most storage tank batteries are in remote locations where days may pass between site visits, and a manual visual inspection of the tank top to verify that hatches are closed and sealed is time- consuming and inefficient. Regulatory attention is now focusing on unsecured thief hatches as a significant emission source that can be solved with the right tools. For example, regulations in place in Colorado and California require constant all hatches are secured. At the same time, the pressure in these storage tanks is subject to change due to factors such as external temperature change or liquid level change from filling or removing liquid content. In order to maintain a safe tank pressure, special valves are utilised, which are able to sense small changes in tank pressure. This kind of emission is permitted for safety reasons. Figure 2 Advanced solenoid technology like the ASCO Next Generation Series X210 and X223 from Emerson makes it easy to replace gas-actuated valves with electronically actuated solenoid valves in well pad production systems to comply with new regulatory requirements checking and documenting that each thief hatch is closed and latched, with some sites being fined up to US$25,000 for every day an operator is unable to verify that

a proof pressure of 5,000 pounds per square inch (psi) and a flow of 22.5 Cv with a maximum 1.2 watts of power. The combination of low power requirements and increased pressure and flow capabilities of new solenoid technology provides an advantage over more complex three-way pilot valves with a single assembly, simplifying installation, providing quicker actuation, and eliminating possible points of leakage (see Figure 2 ). The low-power design provides another important advantage: solar cells can be sufficient to supply the required power, making it easier to implement the changeover from well gas pneumatics and providing