Company develops use for heat generated from well flaring
Monday, July 18, 2016
To some, flaring oil and gas wells is a waste, but to one company, it’s a way to generate electricity.
Fortune reports that the startup Alphabet Energy found a way to generate electricity from the heat produced from flaring: through the company’s flare combustor
According to the source, Alphabet Energy has invested an additional $23.5 million in funding because it sees potential in the flare combustor for the drilling industry. Increased sales are anticipated due to regulations and low commodity prices. The electricity produced by the flare combustor can power drill pads, and thus save drilling companies money.
Read more: Fortune > This Startup Is Turning Gas Flares Into Power
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.