Greenhouse Gas Inventory System for the Upstream Oil and Gas Industry

Lead Proponent

Clearstone Engineering Ltd.

Project Background

The primary objective of this project was to develop a standardized upstream oil and gas (UOG) emission inventory solution for Alberta. The solution was intended to facilitate integration and harmonization across jurisdictions and demonstrate achievement of provincially and federally stated methane reduction targets.

The project:

1. Confirmed inventory organizational and operational boundaries for the Alberta UOG industry.
2. Featured field data collection to improve confidence in UOG equipment inventories and provincial fugitive and pneumatic emission estimates.
3. Documented ‘business rules’ in Requirements and Design Documents for implementing a data management system and emission calculation modules.
4. Developed an inventory database recording monthly emission levels from UOG facilities and wells.

Results

The project developed a standardized greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory solution tool capable of demonstrating achievement of provincial and federal methane reduction targets for the Alberta UOG industry. A field data collection program was conducted to develop improved counts of major equipment, pneumatic devices and equipment components for use in the software tool. Natural gas release detection and quantification activities were also conducted to determine the magnitude of leak versus vent releases and determine a probability for super emitters. Software tools were then developed: Clearstone Engineering modified components of their ClearCALC software, while the AER built a new solution within their domain. Both solutions process the same input records; the AER’s software is used to monitor compliance with provincial regulations and as input for their annual emissions calculations, while ClearCALC can be used as a validation tool for provincial emissions estimates. Finally, the software was implemented and used to generate a province-wide methane emission inventory; the results were published in a technical report.