§ 3179.71 Measurement of flared oil-well gas volume. ( a ) The operator may commingle flared gas from more than one lease, unit PA, or CA to a common high-pressure flare without BLM approval, subject to the allocation requirement in paragraph (h). The site facility diagram required under § 3173.11 must indicate that the high-pressure flare is a common, commingled flare and list the leases, unit PAs, or CAs contributing gas to the common flare.
( b ) The operator must measure flared gas for high-pressure flares for volumes greater than 1,050 Mcf per month above the averaging period. For high-pressure flares measuring less than or equal to 1,050 Mcf per month over the averaging period and for low-pressure flares, operators may estimate the volume flared, as described in paragraph (h) of this section.
( c ) High-pressure flares requiring measurement must use either orifice plates and orifice meter tubes, or ultrasonic meters. High-pressure flare measurement systems must meet the following requirements: ( 1 ) Orifice metering systems must comply with the low-volume measurement requirements in § 3175.80, low-volume electronic gas measurement requirements in § 3175.100, and the low-volume gas sampling and analysis requirements in § 3175.110 with the gas sampling location requirements provided in paragraphs (d) or (e) of this section.
( 2 ) Ultrasonic metering systems must comply with the following requirements: ( i ) Each ultrasonic meter make and model must be tested for flare use. Flare gas meter testing must be conducted and reported pursuant to API 22.3 (incorporated by reference, see § 3179.30) and results must be made available to the AO upon request.
( ii ) Ultrasonic meters must be installed and operated for flare use according to the manufacturer's specifications and those specifications must be provided to the AO upon request.
( iii ) Ultrasonic metering systems must comply with the low-volume electronic gas measurement requirements in § 3175.100, and the low-volume gas sampling analysis requirements in § 3175.110, except for the gas sampling requirements in (d) or (e) of this section.
( 3 ) Operators must evaluate the production facility to determine which type of flare measurement is safe for the facility.
( d ) The gas sample must be taken from one of the following locations when the high-pressure flare is measuring a single lease, unit PA, or CA: ( 1 ) At the flare meter;
( 2 ) At the gas FMP, if there is a gas FMP at the well site and the gas composition is the same as that of the flare-meter gas; or
( 3 ) At another location approved by the AO with a Sundry Notice submission.
( e ) The gas sample must be taken from one of the following locations for a common high-pressure flare that measures more than one lease, unit PA, or CA; ( 1 ) At the flare meter; or
( 2 ) At another location approved by the AO with a Sundry Notice submission.
( f ) Appropriate meters must be installed at all high-pressure flares pursuant to paragraph (c), and gas sampling must be taken from the appropriate location pursuant to paragraphs (d) or (e) according to the following phase-in timeline: Table 1 to Paragraph (f)—Deadline for Compliance With High-Pressure Flare Measurement, and Gas Sampling Location
Flare flow category
Deadline for measurement compliance for high-pressure flares and gas sampling location ≥30,000 Mcf per month
December 10, 2024. <30,000 Mcf per month and ≥6,000 Mcf per month
June 10, 2025. <6,000 Mcf per month and ≥1,050 Mcf per month
December 10, 2025. <1,050 Mcf per month
Not applicable.
( g ) When the flared volume for a high-pressure flare is less than or equal to 1,050 Mcf per month and for low-pressure flares, the flared volume may be estimated, or measured. Estimated flared gas volumes must be based on production reported on the ONRR OGORs over the previous 6 months and calculated at follows: Equation 1 to Paragraph (g) Equation 2 to Paragraph (g) Where: m = The previous 6 months of flaring *V* *g* = The total volume of gas produced from oil wells in the previous 6 months as reported on the OGOR *V* *o* = The total volume of oil produced from oil wells in the previous 6 months as reported on the OGOR *GOR* *r* = The gas-to-oil ratio for the previous 6 months of production as reported on the OGOR *V* *op* = The total oil produced from oil wells while flaring *V* *s* = The total gas volume produced and sent through a gas FMP from oil wells while flaring *V* *f* = The estimated gas flared from oil wells to be reported on the OGOR
( h ) If a flare is combusting gas that is combined across multiple leases, unit PAs, or CAs, the operator may measure the gas at a single point at the flare and allocate flared volumes based on the oil production while flaring from each lease, unit PA, or CA as follows: Equation 3 to Paragraph (h) Where: n = the total number of FMPs sending gas to a common flare VFi = The volume flared from the ith lease, unit PA, or CA sent to a common flare VFt = The total volume flared from a common flare NSVFMPi = The net standard volume of oil from the FMP for the ith lease, unit PA, or CA
( i ) Measurement points for flared volumes are not FMPs for the purposes of subpart 3175.