Process Gas Chromatographs and Flare Monitoring

Flare monitoring requires specialized instruments to
meet regulatory requirements.

Gas chromatography is a common analysis tool employed in many areas of industry, including oil and gas, pharmaceutical, chemical, and others. Yokogawa Corporation of America  has been delivering top tier industrial GC performance with their GC8000 Process Gas Chromatograph for use in oil and gas, and other industrial applications.

Modern regulatory requirements for flare gas management highlight an application area for gas chromatography. Yokogawa provides an analysis of the requirements for flare monitoring, related regulatory compliance, and how various measurement and analysis techniques and equipment can aid in delivering a successful compliance plan. Industrial gas chromatographs can play a part in a compliance plan for flare monitoring.

In addition to the ruggedness and reliability for which Yokogawa gas chromatographs are well known, the GC8000 brings a number of innovations and improvements to the company’s process gas chromatography product offering that deliver easier operation and more efficient utilization.

• Color touchscreen HMI for easy operation
• Advanced predictive diagnostics and software functions monitor key performance indicators during each analysis to verify analyzer is operating within proper tolerances.
• Parallel chromatography is made practical through the use of the GC Modules provided as part of the GC8000. Virtual GCs can be set up inside a single GC with GC Modules to measure multiple streams simultaneously.

More detail is available on the GC8000 Process Gas Chromatograph, the culmination of Yokogawa’s 55 years of experience in the field. For more information, or to discuss your application specifics, contact a product specialist.

Measuring Flare Gas Mass Flow

Model TA2 Thermal Dispersion
Mass Flow Meter
Courtesy Magnetrol

Industrial processing of fluids often requires the measurement of mass flow. Whether for purposes of process control or regulatory compliance, accurate measurement of fluid mass flow is an important element of industrial processing.

In the oil and gas industry, hydraulic fracturing operations release substantial quantities of natural gas. Gas wells will coincidentally release gas during completion, called flow back. Gas is also a common byproduct of oil wells and a number of other processes unrelated to petroleum production. Some operations lack the equipment and infrastructure to collect the unwanted gas and it is flared off (burned) or vented.

Compliance with state and federal regulations imposes requirements on numerous industry segments to conduct certain measurements of gas quantities flowing to different points of processing, release, or transfer. The regulatory requirements are stringent, and present a challenge to the manufacturers of mass flow measurement instruments and process engineers to achieve a cost effective solution in the face of:

• Highly Variable Flow Rates - Production can range  from near zero to extreme bursts during upset conditions.
• Variable Media Temperature - Depth of the gas source, or another factor, can impact temperature
• Low Process Pressure - The flare headers usually operate near atmospheric pressure
• Variable Composition - The components and density of the gas can change over time.
• Difficult Maintenance - Instruments may need to be installed at locations that are hazardous and not easily accessed

The best mass flow measurement solution will effectively accommodate the challenges at each site. Thermal mass flow measurement is one technology that provides a good approach. Examine the paper included below, documenting performance of the TA2 Model manufactured by Magnetrol. Thermal mass flow measuring devices offer cost and other advantages over several competing technologies. 

Share your mass flow measurement challenges with a product application specialist. Combine your process knowledge with their product application expertise to develop the best solution. 

Magnetrol TA2 Thermal Mass Flow Meter for Flare Gas Applications from Miller Energy, Inc.