Synopsis: The Power+ Generator™ has been deployed at a North Dakota oil well to demonstrate how waste heat to power technology can reduce flare gas at the well-head and produce on-sight emission-free power.
To help reduce flaring emissions, The Environmentally Friendly Drilling Systems (EFD), Gulf Coast Green Energy, and ElectraTherm, partnered with the HESS Corporation to test the ElectraTherm Power+ Generator™, a leading distributed waste-heat-to-power technology, at a North Dakota oil well to reduce oil and gas flaring. The project captures the natural gas that would otherwise be flared to generate emission-free electricity and reduce or eliminate onsite flaring by using the Power+ Generator™. Additionally, it successfully demonstrates an effective means of flare reduction, and changes the landscape for industries where flaring was previously believed to be the only solution.
North Dakota state regulations require that oil and gas companies significantly reduce the amount of natural gas that is burned in flares over the next several years or face steep penalties and potential curtailment of oil production for wells that do not meet the reductions. ElectraTherm’s Power+ Generator captures the waste heat and provides clean methane utilization without capital intensive gas clean-up, engine or micro turbine capital costs, and heavy maintenance associated.
Texas A&M University’s Agrilife Research Institute of Renewable Natural Resources is conducting emission monitoring and comparing emissions from direct flaring verses the Power+ solution. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and North Dakota Department of Health Division of Air Quality (NDDOH Air Quality) approved methods are being used during a two-day monitoring event at the site. The results are forthcoming and it is believed that the Power+ solution will dramatically reduce emissions and provide a beneficial alternative to flaring for the O&G industry.
Current Results (Updated 9-18-15. Project began 7-28-15.)
The flare gas-to-power project has been successfully running for almost 60 days.- 50,000 kWe (kilowatts) of power have been delivered to the grid.
- 1000 hours of runtime
- We have demonstrated that this is a viable alternative to flaring gas to the atmosphere and puts flare gas to a beneficial use
- It is projected that the Power+ Generator™ will help HESS Corporation meet the requirements of reducing flaring by 85% by Jan 2016.
Emissions Results
The Texas A&M Institute of Renewal Natural Resources (IRNR) conducted research and collected data from the Hess test site in the Bakken Shale Play in North Dakota during September, 2015. The data was part of an emissions research study for comparing emissions from the Power+ Generator’s (Power+) boiler to the emissions from open flaring.
According to the report, “It is important to note that the emissions from the Power+ Generator system’s boiler are lower (comparatively less harmful to the environment) and would provide the added utility of power generated for use from the raw gas or fuel gas which would otherwise be wasted.” The report includes this Table to show the emissions reductions by the Power+ Generator.
| CO avg % | 89.1 |
| NOx avg % | 48.1 |
| VOC avg % | 92.8 |
Table 8. Percent Reduction in Emissions
In conclusion, the Report states that “The real benefit is the power generated by raw gas or fuel gas which would otherwise be wasted by open flaring. Furthermore, this new technology would meet the goals of the US EPA and North Dakota.”
Click here to view the full report prepared by Texas A&M/Institute of Renewable Natural Resources under HARC/EFD.
Funding for the project was provided to Gulf Coast Green Energy, distributor for the ElectraTherm Power+ Generator, by the Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA) program and the Houston Advanced Research Center’s (HARC) Environmentally Friendly Drilling Program. The goal of the project is to demonstrate the Power+ Generator as a solution to reducing flared gas.
