Innovative Emissions Monitoring and Management Methods to Reduce Environmental Impact During Well Testing Operations

Abstract Well testing is crucial within the oil and gas industry. When production facilities are unavailable, hydrocarbon can flare during the gaseous or liquid phase. When this occurs, smoke and fallout from the burner are the most visible byproduct; during which, hazardous CO, CO2, and SO2 can be emitted. The choices available to the operator to manage produced hydrocarbon in an environmentally acceptable manner can be limited and driven by project economics. Carbon production accounting is rapidly growing as a decision-making process for operators. Within just the last few years, operators have rapidly increased their commitment to reduced carbon emissions. However, proper quantification and monitoring of the environmental impact, particularly during well testing activities, still relies on dated gross calculations performed even before the operation. Innovative technologies and software are discussed to help control and evaluate the impact of emissions in real-time. Current options available to operators are discussed with respect to management of well testing emissions and the trade-offs that must be considered during selection of the optimum well test design. Various case examples are highlighted, showing how technologically advanced solutions (i.e., hardware and software tools for the continuous acquisition, evaluation, monitoring, control, and reporting of emissions data) can provide critical information that enables environmentally acceptable decision-making in real time to support emissions abatement. Furthermore, the operator should examine all options available to design a well testing program with minimum impact to the environment. These include, but are not limited to, emissions management techniques at the surface and downhole as well as innovative operational efficiencies.