Oil companies increase gas flaring despite elimination efforts

In a concerning trend, oil companies globally burned off more natural gas in 2023 than in any of the past five years, according to a World Bank report released on Thursday. This increase comes despite a global initiative to eliminate the environmentally damaging practice of routine flaring within six years.

The report estimates that in 2023, oil companies flared approximately 148 billion cubic meters of natural gas, a 7% increase from 2022, while crude oil production saw only a 1% rise. Flaring, the process of burning off natural gas during oil drilling, is often chosen over capturing and storing the gas due to the high costs of necessary infrastructure.

This rise in flaring reversed the progress made in 2021 and 2022. The World Bank's Global Gas Flaring Tracker emphasized the need for urgent action, stating that "global efforts to reduce gas flaring have not been sustainable."

Ending routine flaring could prevent the release of at least 381 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions into the atmosphere. The report highlighted that significant reductions in flaring are possible through effective partnerships and creating economically viable uses for the associated gas.

Nine major oil-producing countries—Russia, Iran, Iraq, the United States, Venezuela, Algeria, Libya, Nigeria, and Mexico—account for 75% of global flaring and 46% of global oil output. While Algeria and Venezuela have reduced their flaring activities, these improvements have been offset by increases in countries such as Iran, Russia, the United States, and Libya.

The report also noted that flaring intensity, which measures the volume of gas flared per barrel of oil produced, is highest in nations experiencing instability, conflict, or violence.

The World Bank, in collaboration with the Colorado School of Mines, derived these flaring figures using satellite data. This information underscores the critical need for renewed and intensified efforts to tackle the issue of gas flaring on a global scale.