EPA can now access satellite images of offshore flaring-Parsram

Dec 08, 2021 News

Kaieteur News – Acutely aware of the harmful environmental implications associated with flaring, Head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Kemraj Parsram has assured that steps have been taken to increase the agency’s surveillance capacity of operations aboard the Liza Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO).

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Kemraj Parsram

At the moment, Parsram shared that detailed records on flaring are provided to the agency by ExxonMobil’s subsidiary and operator of the Stabroek Block, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL). Parsram told Kaieteur News, “They have to document daily gas flared and emissions or constituents in it as well as carbon equivalent but we are not only depending on them. We have hired a Geographical Information Systems specialist and acquired satellite image capability. This allows us to access real-time data.”

He added in this regard that the agency makes use of data from SkyTruth, a nonprofit environmental watchdog that uses satellite imagery and remote sensing data to identify and monitor threats to the planet’s natural resources. This newspaper understands that SkyTruth produces two flaring maps, both of which are based on Nightfire data captured by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Suomi NPP satellite. This data is made available free from the Earth Observation Group at the Payne Institute for Public Policy, Colorado School of Mines.

Parsram said, “We go there and we see on a daily basis when flaring occurs. So the EPA is currently able to access technology for real time monitoring of flaring. And SkyTruth is an independent satellite source that allows us to do this and we are building on these efforts to strengthen the agency.”

Earlier this year, Parsram had said his agency has a stern stance on flaring hence it increased the tax on flaring from US$30—per tonne of Carbon Dioxide equivalent released—to US$45. Parsram disclosed that the EPA has already received $400M in penalty fees from ExxonMobil. More taxes are supposed to be collected since the oil giant has continued to flare more gas offshore on the Liza Destiny FPSO. He was keen to note that the fine was increased as of July.

Extensive research conducted by Kaieteur News shows that gas flaring contributes to climate change, which has serious implications for the human security and wellbeing globally. In fact, the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, outlined in one of its studies, that gas flaring is actually a major source of greenhouse gases, which accelerates global warming.

It was noted that flaring releases Carbon Dioxide and Methane, the two major greenhouse gases. Of these two, Methane is actually more harmful than Carbon Dioxide. It is also more prevalent in flares that burn at lower efficiency. Of the greenhouse gases researched so far, Kaieteur News understands that the global warming potential of a kilogramme of Methane is estimated to be 21 times that of a kilogramme of Carbon Dioxide when the effects are considered.

The University of Ibadan study also noted that flaring contributes to local and regional environmental problems, such as acid rain with attendant impact on agriculture, forests and other physical infrastructure. The acid rain results in environmental degradation, which includes soil and water contamination and roof erosion. Furthermore, there have been over 250 identified toxins released from flaring, including carcinogens such as benzopyrene, benzene, carbon disulphide (CS2), carbonyl sulphide (COS) and toluene; metals such as mercury, arsenic and chromium; sour gas with Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) and Sulfur Dioxide (SO2); Nitrogen oxides (NOx); Carbon dioxide (CO2); and methane (CH4) which contributes to the greenhouse gases.