Recommended Technologies to Reduce Methane Emissions
Review our Lessons Learned Studies and Partner Reported Opportunities (PRO) Fact Sheets to see how the U.S. EPA’s voluntary oil and gas methane program partners have implemented technologies and practices to cut methane emissions, reduce strategic and operational risk, and demonstrate their commitment to the environment.
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| Emission Source | Document Title | Capital Cost | Estimated Payback | Applicable Industry Segments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compressors/Engines | Wet Seal Degassing Recovery System for Centrifugal Compressors (pdf) | $33,000 (one compressor); $90,000 (four compressors) | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Compressors/Engines | Replace Gas Starters with Air or Nitrogen (pdf) | < $1,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission |
| Compressors/Engines | Reduce Natural Gas Venting with Fewer Compressor Engine Startups and Improved Engine Ignition (pdf) | < $1,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Compressors/Engines | Reducing Methane Emissions from Compressor Rod Packing Systems (pdf) | < $1,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission |
| Compressors/Engines | Test and Repair Pressure Safety Valves (pdf) | < $1,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Compressors/Engines | Reducing Emissions When Taking Compressors Off-Line (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Compressors/Engines | Eliminate Unnecessary Equipment and/or Systems (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Compressors/Engines | Install Automated Air/Fuel Ratio Controls (pdf) | > $50,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Compressors/Engines | Install Electric Motor Starters (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 1-3 years |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission |
| Compressors/Engines | Inject Blowdown Gas into Low Pressure Mains or Fuel Gas System (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 1-3 years |
Transmission Distribution |
| Compressors/Engines | Replace Compressor Cylinder Unloaders (pdf) | $10,000-$50,000 | 1-3 years |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission |
| Compressors/Engines | Install Electric Compressors (pdf) | > $50,000 | 1-3 years |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission |
| Compressors/Engines | Replacing Wet Seals with Dry Seals in Centrifugal Compressors (pdf) | > $50,000 | 1-3 years |
Production Transmission |
| Dehydrators | Reroute Glycol Skimmer Gas (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission |
| Dehydrators | Pipe Glycol Dehydrator to Vapor Recovery Unit (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission |
| Dehydrators | Replace Glycol Dehydration Units with Methanol Injection (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission |
| Dehydrators | Portable Desiccant Dehydrators (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 0-1 year | Production |
| Dehydrators | Eliminate Unnecessary Equipment and/or Systems (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Dehydrators | Zero Emissions Dehydrators (pdf) | $10,000-$50,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Dehydrators | Optimize Glycol Circulation and Install Flash Tank Separators in Glycol Dehydrators (pdf) | $10,000-$50,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing |
| Dehydrators | Convert Natural Gas-Driven Chemical Pumps (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 1-3 years |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission |
| Dehydrators | Convert Pneumatics to Mechanical Controls (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 1-3 years |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Dehydrators | Replacing Gas-Assisted Glycol Pumps with Electric Pumps (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 1-3 years |
Production Gathering and Processing |
| Dehydrators | Replacing Glycol Dehydrators with Desiccant Dehydrators (pdf) | $10,000-$50,000 | 1-3 years |
Production Gathering and Processing |
| Equipment Leaks | Conduct Directed Inspection and Maintenance at Remote Sites (pdf) | < $1,000 | 0-1 year |
Transmission Distribution |
| Equipment Leaks | Directed Inspection and Maintenance at Gate Stations and Surface Facilities (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 0-1 year |
Transmission Distribution |
| Equipment Leaks | Directed Inspection and Maintenance at Compressor Stations (pdf) | $10,000-$50,000 | 0-1 year |
Transmission Distribution |
| Equipment Leaks | Directed Inspection and Maintenance at Gas Processing Plants and Booster Stations (pdf) | $10,000-$50,000 | 1-3 years | Gathering and Processing |
| Equipment Leaks | Increase Walking Survey from a 5- to 3- Year Basis (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 1-3 years |
Transmission Distribution |
| Pipelines | Test and Repair Pressure Safety Valves (pdf) | < $1,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Pipelines | Insert Gas Main Flexible Liners (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 0-1 year | Distribution |
| Pipelines | Composite Wrap for Non-Leaking Pipeline Defects (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 0-1 year |
Transmission Distribution |
| Pipelines | Perform Valve Leak Repair During Pipeline Replacement (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 0-1 year |
Transmission Distribution |
| Pipelines | Using Hot Taps for In Service Pipeline Connections (pdf) | $10,000-$50,000 | 0-1 year |
Transmission Distribution |
| Pipelines | Recover Gas from Pipeline Pigging Operations (pdf) | $10,000-$50,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission |
| Pipelines | Using Pipeline Pump-Down Techniques to Lower Gas Line Pressure Before Maintenance (pdf) | > $50,000 | 0-1 year |
Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Pipelines | Use Inert Gases and Pigs to Perform Pipeline Purges (pdf) | $0 | 1-3 years |
Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Other | Convert Natural Gas-Driven Chemical Pumps (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 1-3 years |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission |
| Pipelines | Inject Blowdown Gas into Low Pressure Mains or Fuel Gas System (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 1-3 years |
Transmission Distribution |
| Pipelines | Inspect Flowlines Annually (pdf) | < $1,000 | 3-10 years | Production |
| Pneumatics/ Controls | Convert Gas Pneumatic Controls to Instrument Air (pdf) | > $50,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Pneumatics/ Controls | Options for Reducing Methane Emissions From Pneumatic Devices in the Natural Gas Industry (pdf) | < $1,000 | 1-3 years |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Pneumatics/ Controls | Convert Pneumatics to Mechanical Controls (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 1-3 years |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Pneumatics/ Controls | Convert Natural Gas-Driven Chemical Pumps (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 1-3 years |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission |
| Pneumatics/ Controls | Replacing Gas-Assisted Glycol Pumps with Electric Pumps (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 1-3 years |
Production Gathering and Processing |
| Tanks | Convert Water Tank Blanket from Natural Gas to Produced CO2 Gas (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 0-1 year | Production |
| Tanks | Eliminate Unnecessary Equipment and/or Systems (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Tanks | Recover Gas from Pipeline Pigging Operations (pdf) | $10,000-$50,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission |
| Tanks | Recover Gas During Condensate Loading (pdf) | < $1,000 | 1-3 years |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission |
| Tanks | Install Pressurized Storage of Condensate (pdf) | $10,000-$50,000 | 1-3 years |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission |
| Tanks | Installing Vapor Recovery Units on Storage Tanks (pdf) | > $50,000 | 1-3 years | Production |
| Valves | Install BASO Valves (pdf) | < $1,000 | 0-1 year | Production |
| Valves | Test and Repair Pressure Safety Valves (pdf) | < $1,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Valves | Perform Valve Leak Repair During Pipeline Replacement (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 0-1 year |
Transmission Distribution |
| Valves | Replace Burst Plates with Secondary Relief Valves (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission |
| Valves | Install Excess Flow Valves (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 3-10 years | Distribution |
| Wells | Test and Repair Pressure Safety Valves (pdf) | < $1,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Wells | Connect Casing to Vapor Recovery Unit (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 0-1 year | Production |
| Wells | Installing Plunger Lift Systems in Gas Wells (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 0-1 year | Production |
| Wells | Install Compressors to Capture Casinghead Gas (pdf) | $10,000-$50,000 | 0-1 year | Production |
| Wells | Reduced Emission Completions for Hydraulically Fractured Natural Gas Wells (pdf) | > $50,000 | 0-1 year | Production |
| Wells | Convert Natural Gas-Driven Chemical Pumps (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 1-3 years |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission |
| Wells | Convert Pneumatics to Mechanical Controls (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 1-3 years |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Wells | Options for Removing Accumulated Fluid and Improving Flow in Gas Wells (pdf) | $10,000-$50,000 | 1-3 years | Production |
| Other | Reduce Frequency of Replacing Modules in Turbine Meters (pdf) | $0 | 0-1 year |
Transmission Distribution |
| Other | Redesign Blowdown Systems and Alter Emergency Shutdown Practices (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 0-1 year | Transmission |
| Other | Eliminate Unnecessary Equipment and/or Systems (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Other | Install Flares (pdf) | $10,000-$50,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Transmission |
| Other | Nitrogen Rejection Unit Optimization (pdf) | > $50,000 | 0-1 year | Gathering and Processing |
| Other | Test and Repair Pressure Safety Valves (pdf) | < $1,000 | 0-1 year |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Other | Install Electronic Flare Ignition Devices (pdf) | $1,000-$10,000 | 1-3 years |
Production Gathering and Processing Transmission Distribution |
| Other | Replace Bi-Directional Orifice Metering with Ultrasonic Meters (pdf) | > $50,000 | 1-3 years |
Transmission Distribution |