Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN), Chevron and Shell are on top of the gas flare chart in the oil industry, according to the latest edition of Monthly Petroleum Information (MPI) published by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Going by the data for January 2012, Mobil, an ExxonMobil subsidiary, flared 9.85 billion standard cubic feet (bscf) of gas into the atmosphere in the month under review.

The US oil firm produced 38.64 bscf and utilised 28.77 bscf of its associated gas for fuelling its operation, re-injection, and sale to industrial users.

The gas flare for Mobil would have been higher if not for operations at the company’s $1.3 billion East Area Natural Gas to Liquids projects, which reduced the flare volume.

Chevron, also a US energy firm, flared 8.25 bscf of gas out of its 19.23 bscf of gas produced under the joint venture category.

On its part, Shell Petroleum Development Company flared 5.44 bscf of gas. Even though it produced the highest volume of 76.4 bscf of gas, Shell however used 70.45 bscf for power generation, sale to third parties and re-injection to stabilise oil production.

Across the entire industry, a total of 30.16 bscf about 13.97 per cent of total gas production was flared at the oil fields in onshore and offshore oil fields in Nigeria in the month under review.

Meanwhile, NNPC has announced a drop in the gas flare rate from 19 per cent to 14 per cent. The development was attributed to increased utilisation of gas for power generation, export and industrial applications.

As reported by Monthly Petroleum Information (MPI), gas flare in the country is on a steady decline.

The MPI indicated that 215.84 bscf of gas was produced in January while 199.41 bscf was utilised.

A total of 30.16 bscf about 13.97 per cent of total gas production was flared at the oil fields in onshore and offshore oil fields in Nigeria in the month under review.

The MPI further indicated that a total of 66.87 bscf of gas was sold to third parties by the oil firms for industrial use in addition to the utilisation of gas for fuel and re-injection at the oil fields.

The publication noted that the improvement witnessed in the reduction of gas flaring in the country could be attributed to monetisation, reinjection and other forms of gas utilisation initiatives aimed at reducing gas flare in oil fields in Nigeria.

Gas flaring is an unacceptable practice internationally due to its devastating consequences of the environment.

Update news