The Environmental Defense Fund surveyed more than 300 sites in the Permian and found that roughly 1 in 10 flares was unlit or malfunctioning. That means more gas is being released straight into the atmosphere, contributing a lot more to the basin’s methane emissions than previously thought.
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The environmental group used satellite images to identify areas where flaring is prevalent, and then flew helicopters with infrared cameras to detect which sites -- called flare stacks -- were releasing methane. Two surveys have been conducted, one in February and another in late March, and EDF plans a third in the near future.
Flaring is meant to get rid of fuel that companies can’t or don’t put into pipelines by burning off methane, a greenhouse gas at least 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide at heating up the planet. The practice has skyrocketed in the last few years as output in the Permian, which stretches across West Texas and southeastern New Mexico, has surged.
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The prevalence of flaring has led to calls from some oil companies themselves to get the issue under control, with Pioneer Natural Resources Co. Chief Executive Officer Scott Sheffield calling it a “black eye” for the Permian.
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Once a permit has been granted, however, it falls to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to ensure that flares are in compliance with emissions standards.
Typically, violations result in a notice from TCEQ that gives operators of that flare a specific amount of time to get the site back in compliance. If they don’t, the agency is authorized to issue penalties.
A representative for TCEQ said the agency has received EDF’s findings and is currently reviewing them.
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