Well Production Judged From a Flare Shape & Size

Maybe this has been answered before, but I have a question about the shape, size and pressure of a well flare relative to determining the gas production of that well.   Does more pressure & a tighter (longer stream) flare mean more or less gas production or does the appearance of less pressure & a wider flare mean more or less gas production.  I`m wanting to judge various wells by the shape of the flare.   Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Kangoo on October 15, 2013 at 1:18pm

You won't be able to determine well pressure from flare shape.

Reason is that the flare is not directly connected to the well but to the separator (where water/oil/gas are separated). This separator is running at a specific pressure that depends on design and operator policies/requirements. A separator can run at 500 psi or 1000 psi or any other pressure  (on some wells you'll see 2 separators, a high and low pressure separator)

Upstream of the separator you'll have chokes that reduce the pressure from the wellhead pressure to separator pressure.

Because of the fact that a separator can run at 1000 psi on a well with 5000 psi wellhead pressure or on one with 2000 psi wellhead pressure, everything downstream of the separator (i.e. the flare stack) is totally independent from wellhead pressure.

Also shape is difficult to interprete since atmospheric conditions play a big role (with no wind the flare will be tall/narrow with lots of wind it will be wider/shorter)

What you can get from a flare is a general idea about production rate (but if the well is choked back as nearly all Utica wells initially are, that won't tell you anything either about how good the well is). In general the bigger the flare of course the higher the rate.

The second thing you can read from a flare is whether the gas is wet or dry (again just in a qualitative way). The more NGL's (Ethane, Propane, etc....) you have in the gas (meaning the wetter it is) the darker  yellow the flame will be. Pure methane (dry gas) burns with a very bright white/blue flame.

Permalink Reply by farmgas on October 15, 2013 at 2:06pm

A great reply, thanks!

Permalink Reply by MJ on October 15, 2013 at 3:22pm

Thanks again!  Great info!

Permalink Reply by searcherone on October 15, 2013 at 3:29pm

Interesting post, especially regarding the color of wet and dry gas in a flare.

Permalink Reply by Philip Thackray on October 16, 2013 at 11:18am

Here is an XTO flare on a well pad in Forward Township, Butler County PA.  At the far left of the picture the two well "christmas trees" can be seen (behind the red water tankers).  To the right of the wells is a portable separator colored blue (again behind the red water tankers).  I believe the well gas went to that apparatus and then to the flare trailer.  The production separator and storage tanks (green) can be seen in the distance inside the spill barrier.  This is the wet Marcellus.

Phil

Permalink Reply by Gary on October 16, 2013 at 2:51pm

Here is the Noss well in Beaver county Pa.....one is Marcellus and the other is Upper Devonian....also here are the tanks on site..the flair looks yellow to me what do you think WET or Dry ?..and how much?

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Permalink Reply by Philip Thackray on October 17, 2013 at 12:07am

Nice Pictures Gary!

Who is the operator?

I do not have enough experience to judge NGL content from flare color.  From the maps I've seen that area is generally considered Wet.

Phil

Permalink Reply by Gary on October 17, 2013 at 12:26pm

Range Resources RRC

Permalink Reply by Kangoo on October 18, 2013 at 6:23am

On pictures it's always difficult to estimate a color/brightness correctly due to so many factors (lighting, camera settings, background, etc....). However what gives away the fact that it's wet gas on picture 344, is the smoke one can see. Methan (=dry gas) doesn't smoke when flared. That's clearly a sign of NGL's (wet gas).

015334grltd9mPermalink Reply by 015334grltd9m on October 19, 2013 at 12:18am

I've been staring at my gas stove, it is blue.  All the flares I've seen are yellow, you sure you ain't jiving me bro? 

Permalink Reply by john doe on October 19, 2013 at 6:03am

Propane,In case the picture do'snt go thru its BLUE.

Acetalin {sp} burns yellow?

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Permalink Reply by Jim Litwinowicz on October 19, 2013 at 6:40am

Methane burns blue when it has the proper orifices that give it the correct amount of oxygen for a complete burn. Turn the burner way up or dirty the orifices so that the gas doesn't mix properly and it will burn yellow like when your cooking boils over.

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