Different Ways to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emission in Pipelines

Abstract

Pipelines are essential for keeping the lights on, homes warm, plants running, planes flying and water flowing. They also provide one of the safest means of transport. By taking some effective actions, they can contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emission significantly. This paper explores a few ways for pipeline companies to help combat climate change. There are of course hardware solutions, carbon capture at station equipment such as compressors or heat exchangers. Although undoubtably these solutions work, they are slow and expensive to implement. What we are going to look at are solutions that can be implemented by using existing software tools, or making a relatively small investment in a new software. The first and most obvious way is the implementation of an effective leak detection program as defined in API 1175. The second way to reduce emission is through the optimization of fuel gas consumption by compressors. The third way is through the improvement of network operations. With the move to hydrogen and renewable natural gas, pipeline simulation software can also help the pipeline industry to transit to greener energy, thus less emission.