How do you reduce greenhouse gas emissions with reservoir management?

1 Assess the sources and types of emissions

The first step to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with reservoir management is to identify and quantify the sources and types of emissions from your reservoirs. These can include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), which are the main greenhouse gases associated with oil and gas production. Some of the common sources of emissions are flaring, venting, fugitive leaks, combustion, and reservoir depressurization. You can use various methods and tools to measure and estimate the emissions from your reservoirs, such as direct monitoring, emission factors, mass balance, and simulation models.

2 Implement best practices and technologies

The second step to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with reservoir management is to implement best practices and technologies that can lower the emissions from your reservoirs. This could include capturing and utilizing associated gas, rather than flaring or venting, as well as detecting and repairing fugitive leaks with LDAR programs, infrared cameras, and sensors. To improve combustion efficiency, you could consider using low-emission engines, turbines, and burners or switching to cleaner fuels such as natural gas or renewable energy sources. Additionally, you may enhance recovery efficiency by using techniques that minimize the need for reservoir depressurization, such as waterflooding, gas injection, or enhanced oil recovery (EOR).

3 Evaluate the potential for carbon capture and storage

The third step to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with reservoir management is to evaluate the potential for carbon capture and storage (CCS), a process of capturing CO2 from industrial sources and injecting it into deep geological formations. CCS can offer several benefits, such as reducing the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere, increasing pressure and sweep efficiency, and creating additional revenue streams. Nevertheless, implementing CCS also involves some challenges and risks, such as high capital and operational costs, technical uncertainties, and regulatory and social barriers. Thus, it is essential to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study and risk assessment before implementing CCS in your reservoir management strategy.

5 Collaborate and learn from others

The fifth step to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with reservoir management is to collaborate and learn from others who are involved or interested in the same goal. This can help you to share and exchange best practices, technologies, data, and experiences with other petroleum engineers, operators, researchers, and experts; as well as learn from the successes and failures of other reservoir management projects and initiatives. You can also access and leverage the resources, support, and opportunities available from various organizations, networks, and platforms that promote and facilitate greenhouse gas emission reductions in the oil and gas sector. Examples of such organizations, networks, and platforms include the Global CCS Institute, the Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada (PTAC), the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI), and the World Bank's Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 initiative.

6 Innovate and adapt to changing conditions

The sixth and final step to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with reservoir management is to innovate and adapt to changing conditions. This can help you stay ahead of the curve in the oil and gas market, respond to the challenges and opportunities presented by evolving technologies, regulations, policies, and consumer preferences related to greenhouse gas emission reductions, and explore and develop new solutions and approaches that can further reduce emissions from your reservoirs. Examples of such solutions and approaches include bioenergy with CCS (BECCS), hydrogen production with CCS (H2CCS), or direct air capture with CCS (DACCS).