Gas Flaring Emissions Calculator

Gas Flaring Emissions Calculator

Gas flaring - burning off natural gas released as a byproduct of oil extraction rather than capturing it for productive use - remains a significant global emissions source in oil-producing regions.

CO2 Emitted = Gas Flared (thousand m³) x 2.3 tonnes CO2 per thousand m³

Example

100,000 cubic meters (100 thousand m³) of gas flared:

CO2 Emitted = 100 x 2.3 = 230 tonnes CO2

Why Flaring Persists

Flaring often occurs at remote or newly developed oil fields where the infrastructure to capture and transport the associated gas to market hasn't been built, making flaring the cheaper near-term option compared to investing in gas-capture pipelines and processing facilities - though this calculus is shifting as flaring emissions face increasing regulatory scrutiny and investor pressure.

Satellite Monitoring Has Changed the Picture

Global flaring volumes have become increasingly measurable via satellite observation in recent years, making previously hard-to-verify emissions much more transparent and putting growing pressure on oil producers to reduce routine flaring in favor of capturing and utilizing the associated gas instead - this satellite data has become a key tool for tracking national and corporate flaring reduction commitments.