Why is natural gas flared? What is the solution?

Light from gas flares in the Bakken oil fields of North Dakota is as bright as the city of Chicago. Billions of cubic feet of natural gas is being flared or vented in remote oil fields, a waste stream going up in smoke.

Now Pioneer Energy is changing that waste into resources, adding up to 30% in revenue—which could mean the difference between success and failure in the current tight petroleum market.

Pioneer Energy’s innovative, proprietary flare gas capture and processing systems turn raw associated gas and tank battery vapors from a waste into a resource.

Read the case study:

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[BaselineEnServ]

Baseline has been using waste gas as fuel in our natural gas generators since 2012. It has only become commonplace in the last few years, but we are a thriving company that is lowering the carbon footprint of oil and gas producers all over the U.S. In 2015 when this video was published, the technology was still relatively new.

[kageroolol]

Why is there a network map at 0:40? Doesn't make sense. Only to make it look complicated.

[scottmontreuil]

This guys parents are proud. And should be.

[farzana]

Why does flaring continue in Texas is this technology is available? I must be missing something.

[garyha]

0:30 "They have to flare it on site there's simply no other place for it to go."
Then just turn the valve off. What am I missing? I think the answer is this: They are burning off the upper layers to get to the more pure methane or ethane eventually. What a dirty process. So thanks for trying to improve it. Perhaps McSlobo is right, regulations requiring those mixed gases to be captured, requiring the Pioneer Energy machine use. That means instead of instant billionaire overnight folks, it will take you awhile, but this way you drillers won't be murdering planet earth. Let this man temper the situation and stop the waste.

[TheTubeTempest]

can they make profit from this or is it to clean the environment? if you could make a deal where you keep the waste and the oil company does not have to pay then that's the ticket.

[TheTubeTempest]

why don't you make a big pressure vessel put the fire under it and use the steam to power a generator for electricity?