Employing micro gas chromats for flare analysis to meet emission regulations

Climate change is one of the most pressing worldwide challenges particularly following the 1997 Kyoto protocol. A major contribution to green house gases (GHG) originates from gas flaring: the World Bank estimates circa 150 bn cum gas was flared globally per year, producing 400m tons of CO2 which is equivalent to 25% of US gas consumption or 30% of EU consumption. In the EU the key regulation to limit flare GHG releases is the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) Carbon Credit Trading principle since 2005 for new plants (offshore flaring since 2009). Flaring is a controlled, open flame combustion process to burn unwanted or surplus hydrocarbon gases from different sources for over-pressure, maintenance, safety and other reasons.