Profitable Use of Vented Emissions in Oil & 

Gas Production

Howard Malm REM Technology Inc.

Greg Brown PIC/Spartan

Andrea Lamond Encana

Thanks goes to the Climate Change and Emissions Management Corporation (CCEMC) for financial support
Profitable Use of Vented Emissions in Oil & Gas 

Production

Part 1 – SlipStream® Technology and Field Results

Howard Malm REM Technology Inc.

Part 2 – Experience and Results with SlipStream

Andrea Lamond Encana

SlipStream® is a registered trademark; patents and patents 

pending in USA, Australia and Canada

Replacement of Natural Gas Engine Fuel with Vented Hydro-Carbon Gases

Using SlipStream®
SlipStream® Technology and Field Results

Outline – Part 1

1. Vent Gas Sources

2. Benefits of Combusting Vented Gas in Engines

3. SlipStream Technology

4. Results
SlipStream® Technology and Field Results

Vent Gas Sources

Instrument gas

 Actuators – valves, regulators

 Variable

 Transducers

 Variable

 Pumps

 Pulsed; on/off

 Membrane driers

 Steady 

Typical total system (engine-compressor unit) 

vents 4 to 30 m3/h (140 to 1000 scf/h)
SlipStream® Technology and Field Results

Vent Gas Sources

 Compressor packing

• ReCip packing glands

• Steady

• Mixed with lubrication oil

 Liquid storage tanks

• Oil storage

• Scrubber dump collection

• Separator dump collection

• Highly Variable (heating/cooling effects)

 Other

• Dehydrators

• Centrifugal compressor wet seals

0.8 to 4.2 m3/h (29 to 147 scf/h) 4 cylinders

0 to 20 m3/h (0 to 700 scf/h)
SlipStream® Technology and Field Results

Benefits of combusting vented gas in natural gas engines

 Fuel replacement

• One typical 1000 HP (750 kW) engine uses ≈180 kg/h (260 m3/h) of NG fuel

• Vented gas available from 4 to 30 m3/h

• At $3.50/GJ the value = $4300 to $32,000 /y

 Methane destruction; GHG reduction

• Typical methane % = 95%

• At $15/t, the value = $7900 to $52,000 /y

 VOC destruction

• > 99%

 BTEX destruction

• > 99% Annual Fuel saving + Carbon credits

= $12,200 to $84,000 
SlipStream® Technology and Field Results

SlipStream® Technology

 Can use multiple vent sources

 Does not require gas compression

 Measures vent gas flows and provides totals

 Can provide up to 50% of engine fuel needs

 Minimal pressure on vent gas source(s)

 No effects on engine up-time

Shutoff 

Valve

Demister

Flow 

Meter

Control 

Valve

Air 

Intake 

Filter

Engine

Relief 

Devices

Vent 

gases

Vent

For meter 

calibration

Pressure 

Sensor

HV

Hand Valve HVs

(HV)
SlipStream® Technology and Field Results

SlipStream® 

Technology

 Dual engine 

arrangement

• Vent gas 

destruction time 

increased 

• Allows packing vent 

collection from 

units pressurized, 

but not running

Engine

REMVue 

SlipStream

Control Panel

Engine/

Compressor 

Control Panel

Flow Meter

Control 

Valve

Pressure 

Sensor

Shut-Off 

Valve

Compressor Outside Vent

Demister

1 kPa relief

Block 

Valves

Compressor

Engine/

Compressor 

Control Panel

Compressor Packing 

Vent Collection

Automated 3 

Way Valve /w 

Switches

Block Valves

Compressor Packing 

Vent Collection

1 kPa relief

Engine

Compressor
SlipStream® Technology and Field Results

SlipStream® Technology

 Safe

• Has undergone numerous Process 

Hazards Reviews

 Reliable

• Does not affect engine operation

 Adaptable

• Variable flow

• Variable gas heat content

 Needs electronic engine air-fuel 

control

• Stoichiometric – OEM, third party, 

REMVue

• Lean – OEM, third party, REMVue

 Needs minimal engine scavenging

• Carbureted engines ideal

• Not suitable for 2 cycle stroke engines

 Certain gases are unsuitable

• H2S < 1%
SlipStream® Technology and Field Results

Results

 Field results are averages/site for > 60 sites

Vent Source Average

Flow kg/h Methane %

Instrument Gas 8.1 95

Compressor Packing 2.7 95

Liquids Tank 7.3 30 to 50%

* 1 Car-year ≈ 5 t

Typically 20 to 40% nonmethane, non-ethane volatile 

organic compounds (VOC)

Annual Fuel 

Replacement

CO2(e) t/y Car-year 

Equivalent*

> $500,000 > 55,000 > 11,000

Totals

CO2(e)t/h CO2(e) t/y

0.16 1372

0.05 457

0.06 524

Car-year 

Equivalent*

275

91

105
SlipStream® Technology and Field Results

Results

Value

Vent Source Average

Flow kg/h

Annual fuel 

replacement

Instrument Gas 8.1 $12,914

Compressor Packing 2.7 $4,304

Liquids Tank 7.3 $11,715

Fuel Value 

= $3.50 / GJ

Annual CO2(e) 

credits

$20,574

$6,857

$7,858

CO2(e) credit 

= $15 / tonne

Total

$33,488

$11,161

$19,573
Profitable Use of Vented Emissions in Oil 

& Gas Production

Part 2 – Experience and Results with SlipStream®

Andrea Lamond Encana
Experience and Results with SlipStream®

Outline – Part 2

1. Introduction to Encana Corporation

2. Regulatory Environment

3. Encana Scope of Operation

4. Expected Benefits of SlipStream®

5. Adopting the Technology

6. Installing and Commissioning

7. Results
Experience and Results with SlipStream®

Introduction to Encana Corporation

Leading North American energy producer focused on growing its strong portfolio of resource 

plays producing natural gas, oil and natural gas liquids

 Encana’s Environment Policy

• Adopt technically sound, economically practicable measures to mitigate environmental 

impacts

• Reduce emission intensity and increase energy efficiency of our operations

• Continual improvement of environmental programs

 Encana’s Environmental Innovation Fund (EIF)

• Internal investments in projects that economically improve environmental performance of 

our operations

• External venture capital investments in start-up technology companies

To learn more on the EIF go to: http://www.encana.com/environment/innovation-fund/
Experience and Results with SlipStream®

Regulatory Environment

• This project was executed in Alberta and partially

funded by the Climate Change Emissions Management

Corporation (CCEMC) technology fund. The funding

helped overcome project hurdle rates and promoted

the implementation of this technology.
Experience and Results with SlipStream®

Encana Scope of Operation

 SlipStream® Vent Gas Capture Project

• Climate Change Emissions Management 

Corporation (CCEMC) grant $2.4 million 

• AB based, not-for-profit organization with 

mandate to reduce GHG emissions by 

implementing clean technology

• CCEMC announces two expressions of 

interest every year

• 52 site roll-out across Clearwater Business 

Unit (Clearwater South)

• 25 Caterpillar 3512 engines

• 27 Waukesha H24 engines

Calgary

Edmonton
Experience and Results with SlipStream®

Expected Benefits of SlipStream®

*Based on expected AECO 2013 natural gas prices

Typical compressor building in the Clearwater Business Unit

Off-grid Sites

 Compressors operated remotely, 

electricity not available

 Reduce methane (CH4) venting from 

pneumatic devices 

 Reroute CH4 to compressor engine to be 

used as fuel

 Fuel gas savings estimate of $550,000 

annually upon full roll-out*
Experience and Results with SlipStream®

Expected Benefits of SlipStream®

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Objectives

 Capture and combustion achieves direct reduction of GHG emissions

Project eligible to generate GHG credits in Alberta

 Current value ≈ $15/tonne of reduced CO2(e) 

 Encana personnel were lead authors for government-approved GHG Quantification 

Protocol for Vent Gas Capture Projects in 2008-2009
Experience and Results with SlipStream®

Adopting the Technology

Proof of Economical and Environmental Benefits

 Installed 2 pilots in 2011 

 1 Cat 3512 engine and 1 Waukesha H24 engine

Instrumentation & Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Modifications

 Embed REMVue logic into existing PLC

 Easier operational maintenance

Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP) conducted

 Examination of process/operation to identify and evaluate risks

 Proposed outcomes and solutions to mitigate risks
Experience and Results with SlipStream®

Installing and Commissioning

Valve train had too much pressure drop

 Large amount of back pressure 

 Modified valve train piping

Installation process

 First few installs took ≈ 1-2 days

 Later installs, 2 mechanical installations 

 per day

Reliability

 Designed to be reversible

 If SlipStream® fails, back to original venting system

 SCADA system alerts through notification email

 ≈ 48 hours to check issue

SlipStream® valve train redirects previously vented gas into engine’s air intake as fuel 
Experience and Results with SlipStream®

Results

Current projected savings 

(based on 17 units commissioned in 2012)

 1,479 e3m3 (52 MMscf) fuel gas annualized

 20,378 tonnes (22,476 tons) CO2(e) emission reductions 

annualized

Estimated savings after full roll-out (2013) 

52 units total

 $550,000 fuel savings per year*

 67,355 tonnes (74,261 tons) of CO2(e) reduction per year 

 $1million in Alberta carbon credits per year / available to 

offset other Encana Alberta based emissions

Future plans

 Install remaining 27 Waukesha H24 units in 2013

Caterpillar 3512LE - air intake and turbo chargers (rear view)

SlipStream® gas injection point to engine

*Based on expected AECO 2013 natural gas prices 
Profitable Use of Vented Emissions in Oil & Gas 

Production

Summary

 The SlipStream® technology is field proven 

 Is environmentally beneficial AND is revenue positive ($)

 Meets GHG protocols; destructs VOCs and BTEX

 Is straight-forward to install / commission 

 Meets all of the necessary safety and reliability requirements