Capturing emissions

Like many other pipeline operations, when a midstream operator in the central plains of North America had to perform updates and tie-ins to a newly acquired 136 mile section of 16 in. natural gas pipeline, they already were facing multiple challenges. Not only were they focused on the day-to-day tasks associated with transporting product safely and efficiently, but they were also striving to respond to growing public and investor demand – not to mention their own goals – to minimise greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. And they had to find ways to accomplish all of those things while achieving the overriding objective of all businesses: remaining profitable.

With pipeline depressurisation an important part of this project, they turned to WeldFit’s ReCAPTM emissions recovery system to avoid venting or flaring. Until recently, those were the only options for releasing all of the natural gas in an isolated line so maintenance, testing, or other projects could safely be conducted, but both came at a cost in terms of emitting methane into the atmosphere – something the operator was eager to avoid.

Rather than perform costly double block and bleed line stops at multiple main line valve stations and tie-in locations, the operator decided to depressurise the entire pipeline section and conduct numerous operations simultaneously. Using WeldFit’s ReCAP equipment to depressurise the pipeline segment, recapture its more than 35 million ft3 of natural gas, and transfer the methane from the depressurised section to an adjacent pressurised system, saved the EPA equivalent of:

• The GHG emissions from more than 3500 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven in one year.
• The CO₂ emissions from more than 1.8 million gal. of gasoline consumed.
• The carbon sequestered by almost 20 000 acres of forest in one year.

The entire operation took only days, limiting downtime considerably compared to other interventions. The company’s ability to achieve operational objectives and realise ESG goals simultaneously with ReCAP was not a one-off occurrence. Since WeldFit introduced the system in August 2021, pipeline operators throughout the US have been successfully using it to depressurise their lines and recover their gas before beginning maintenance, repairs, modifications and other common pipeline projects …

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Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/equipment-and-safety/09092022/capturing-emissions/