With people worldwide becoming more aware of the importance of sustainability, many understand that actions made now affect this generation and future ones. Individuals often discuss efforts to decarbonise refineries, particularly since those facilities account for significant percentages of overall emissions. Here are some forward-thinking ways to achieve that goal.
Use sensors for better monitoring
Much of the work to reduce emissions centers on improved oversight. If people get immediate alerts about problems such as emissions leaks, they can act quickly to mitigate the adverse effects.
That’s a goal of the Project ASTRA initiative, led by The University of Texas at Austin, with the Environmental Defense Fund, ExxonMobil, Gas Technology Institute and Pioneer Natural Resources Company also participating. The work involves creating an advanced sensor network designed with virtual reality. The sensors will provide significantly better oversight, making people aware of leaks sooner.
David Allen, the study’s lead investigator, noted how the United States has more than 1 million usable oil and gas wells, demonstrating the technology’s abundant usage potential. Furthermore, oil and gas wells typically only get checked for leaks yearly or semi-annually. This project causes a meaningful change by enabling minute-by-minute monitoring of methane concentrations.
The oil and gas sector is not the only industry increasing its smart sensor investments. Logistics leaders commonly use that technology too, realizing how it can aid transportation tracking. Then, company representatives can get real-time truck location updates, emissions data and more.
Improvements can also come when people deploy smart sensors to monitor critical equipment. Emissions can rise when machinery starts malfunctioning or nears the end of its useful life. But if people get prompt alerts about those conditions, they can make confident decisions about when to schedule maintenance or invest in newer equipment.
Increase reliance on data tracking and analytics
Professionals must have accurate emissions data before trying to decarbonise refineries. That information can help them establish baselines, highlighting how and where to make the most progress.
A Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment study estimated the emissions from the global refining and petroleum sales markets between 1980 to 2019. That data shed light on the 83 countries contributing to 93% of 2015’s crude oil refining throughput. The report also investigated the emissions-life cycle impact of so-called Oil Supermajors, consisting of companies like BP, ExxonMobil and Shell.
The report showed that Oil Supermajors account for almost 23% of oil refining’s cumulative carbon footprint. Similarly, the collective impact of those companies represented slightly more than 35% of the emissions from the petroleum sales sector.
Although the researchers concluded that these results show significant market concentration, they noticed emissions reporting disparities across the Oil Supermajors. More specifically, these companies lack standardised methods for reporting emissions. Standardization could take a while to achieve, but what refinery businesses can do now is invest more in robust data analytics and tracking technologies.
Those tools can span beyond emissions reporting, too. Some of the largest refineries produce 900,000 barrels of oil daily. Data analytics products can significantly improve visibility, revealing bottlenecks, ineffective processes and other areas for improvement. It then becomes more likely that refineries can maintain or increase production, enabling consistent profitability.
Decarbonise refineries with artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) has changed business processes in industries ranging from marketing to medicine. Case studies suggest it’ll do the same for the oil and gas industry by unlocking opportunities to decarbonize refineries.
For example, INEOS FPS, a Scottish oil and natural gas company, uses an AI tool that analyses hundreds of data points, using them to calculate the lowest achievable emissions. Company representatives expect the technology will help them reduce emissions by 10% after implementation, and that it could get even better results later.
Another option comes from a company that offers an AI scheduling assistant for refineries. The product takes seconds to analyse hundreds of scenarios, then suggests the most advantageous possibilities.
The tool then ranks the scenarios according to associated emissions and profitability potential. A production-scheduling aspect tracks oil as it moves through a refinery. An analysis of each step indicates how companies could maximise the associated value of each process.
Products like these help people make crucial decisions with more confidence. Oil-processing facilities are busy places. Some leaders may need help determining how to decarbonize refineries without cutting into profits or experiencing other unwanted outcomes. AI can show how that’s possible.
Prioritise continuous improvement
People developing strategies to decarbonise refineries must realise that sustained progress may take time. That’s because individuals may need to alter their plans to see what works best. Emissions reductions must also become embedded in the company culture. When employees see that working toward the goal is a collective responsibility and effort, they’ll be more motivated to take accountability when appropriate.
Leaders should ideally see emissions minimisation as an ongoing process and always look for ways to enhance current methods. As technologies continue advancing and internal operations become more streamlined, the hoped-for reductions should become apparent.
