Flaring and Venting of Natural Gas Background and Issues, in Brief

Natural gas is regularly lost as it is burned (flared) and released into the atmosphere (vented) during the production of oil and gas. While the exact amount of gas lost in this way is uncertain, given the vast extent of oil and gas production throughout the world, it could be significant. In addition to resulting in the loss of a potentially valuable resource, the burning and release of natural gas into the atmosphere contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, which are generally considered to be warming the earth's atmosphere. This book describes flaring and venting data and what the federal government could do to improve them; reports on the basis of available information, on the extent of flaring and venting and their contributions to greenhouse gases; and identifies opportunities for the federal government to reduce flaring and venting.