This month, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality Air Quality Division and U.S. EPA released a report detailing the first phase of a study to better quantify performance of enclosed combustion devices (ECDs) at oil and gas facilities. ECDs, or enclosed flares, ensure that volatile organic compounds from oil and gas facilities are combusted rather than being released into the air, but their effectiveness can be variable. There is currently only one federally approved method to test ECDs.
The study examines the effectiveness of portable analyzers, tools already in use to perform maintenance and emissions checks on engines, and whether they might be able to help industry better assess ECD efficiency in less time and at lower cost. The preliminary results are promising, and additional phases of the study are underway.
For more information and to see the report, see here.
