Valve World Magazine June 2024 | Page 51

Valve technology has evolved significantly since its early origins , driven by the need to regulate steam and high pressure in the 1700s . The establishment of the American Petroleum Institute ( API ) in 1919 and the International Organization for Standardization ( ISO ) in 1947 led to the development of key standards , such as ISO 15848-1 , API 622 , 624 , and 641 , which have played a crucial role in reducing the environmental impact of fugitive emissions . The United States Environmental Protection Agency ( USEPA ) recognized “ Leakless Equipment ” in the 1980s , although it was not widely accepted at the time due to the unreasonable emission reduction per control cost . The mid-2000s introduced Consent Decrees requiring Certified Low Leaking Technology ( CLLT ) for valves and packing in Volatile Organic Compound ( VOC ) Gas Vapor ( GV ) or Light Liquid ( LL ) service , limiting leaks to < 100 ppm . The USEPA , currently under President Biden ’ s direction , is proposing changes to the Clean Air Act , 40 CFR 60 , to revise new source performance standards for greenhouse gas and VOC emissions from the oil and gas industry . These proposed Clean Air Act revisions aim to reduce methane and VOC emissions by no longer allowing the use of natural gas-driven controllers at new , reconstructed , and modified emission sources . Additionally , according to the 2021 Inventory of U . S . Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks ( GHGI ), pneumatic controllers in petroleum and natural gas systems are responsible for a significant portion of methane emissions in their respective industries . A report by Carbon Limits identified pneumatic controllers as the second-largest source of methane emissions in the oil and gas industry , behind component leaks . While valve standards help reduce fugitive emissions , which account for 90 % of all emissions according to the USEPA , the goal of zero leakage has not yet been achieved . Both natural gas-powered actuators and pneumatics , traditionally used in oil and gas facilities and pipelines , vent methane and greenhouse gases ( GHGs ) to the atmosphere , contributing to global warming . The USEPA documents categorize natural gas-driven pneumatic controllers into high-bleed , low-bleed , and intermittent types , with intermittent controllers responsible for 88 % of all methane emissions . New regulations , such as OOOOb New Source Performance Standards and OOOOc Emission Guidelines , will restrict the installation of gasemitting controllers . Several U . S . states and Canadian provinces have already implemented restrictions on emitting controllers , requiring the use of nonemitting or zero-emission alternatives .

EMISSION SOLUTIONS

Magnets drive valve innovation towards a zero-emission future

This article explores the advancements in valve technology , particularly the potential of magnetic actuation , to achieve zero emissions and drive sustainability in the oil and gas industry .

By Bronson Pate , Vice President MagDrive Technologies , and

Gobind Khiani , President GAPV Incorporated

Industry response to regulations and pressure

These proposed regulations , along with public and financial pressure brought about by the ESG requirements , are going to affect all segments of the oil and gas industry and , therefore , are under intense analysis by industrial and compliance organizations . As with most actuator applications , there are multiple reduction options depending on unit location , number of controllers , type of controllers already installed , operating media , customer philosophy , history with various products , and economics . The economic consideration can be broken down into several categories , such as initial material cost , total installed cost , total cost of ownership , etc . Due to these pressures , the oil and gas industry is looking into the following options :

• Instrument air conversion : Use of compressed air system to operate pneumatics ( if site is grid connected this is an economical option )

• Self-contained solar powered instrument air compressors for use with instrument air driven controllers

• Nitrogen : Conversion , like instrument air , by retrofitting existing pneumatics to use nitrogen .

• Electric actuation : This involves replacing a gaspowered pneumatic controller with an electric motor-driven controller ( grid powered or solarpowered )

• Spring-Return electric operators ( grid powered or solar powered )

• High-efficiency gear operators

The best approach depends on the specific needs and resources of each site . Implementing zero venting strategy can help minimize the environmental impact on these GHG and methane emissions ideally resulting in a sustainable industry .

The quest for zero-emissions

The USEPA ’ s proposed regulations focus on the “ best system of emission reduction ”, which generally requires the use of zero-bleed controllers , with few π www . valve-world . net Valve World June 2024

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