We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Towards alternative solutions for flaring: Life cycle assessment and carbon substance flow analysis of associated gas conversion into C3 chemicals
Summary
Researchers assessed whether converting flared natural gas into useful chemicals like propanol is better for the environment than simply burning it off. Life cycle analysis showed that making 1-propanol from flared gas saves nearly 2.9 kg of CO₂ per kg of gas processed and reduces human toxicity impacts, making it a more sustainable alternative to flaring.
Gas flaring has many environmental impacts at global and local scale. Conversion of associated gas into 1-propanol (scenario PRL) and propylene (scenario PRE) via the C123 process can be a potential solution to prevent combustion. This paper aims to evaluate the environmental performance of C3 production from associated gas compared to flaring and to identify the preferred C3 chemical for associated gas conversion. A carbon substance flow analysis (CSFA) and a life cycle assessment (LCA) were conducted. CSFA was used to map all carbon flows and to calculate the carbon emission savings and carbon efficiency. The LCA focused on the impact categories climate change, fossil resource use, human toxicity and the cumulative exergy extraction from the environment. The results of the CSFA indicate that 2.89 kg CO2 per kg associated gas could be saved in scenario PRL, when including the avoided conventional C3 production in the analysis. The LCA shows that scenario PRL outperforms flaring for climate change and human toxicity. Consequently, 1-propanol production from associated gas is the preferred alternative at the selected location. Heat integration and renewable electricity production can drastically decrease the impact of C3 chemicals production on climate change and enable CO2 emissions savings compared to flaring.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Performance evaluation of biogenic CO2‐based renewable chemicals: A holistic life cycle assessment and multi‐criteria approach
Researchers conducted an integrated life cycle assessment and life cycle costing analysis of emerging bioprocesses that convert biogenic CO2 into value-added chemicals through gas and liquid fermentation pathways, applying a multi-criteria decision-making framework combining analytic hierarchy process and TOPSIS methods. The study evaluated the environmental and economic performance of these carbon utilization routes as potential pathways for decarbonizing the chemical sector.
Life Cycle Assessment of Methanol Production from Municipal Solid Waste: Environmental Comparison with Landfilling and Incineration
This study compared the environmental impact of converting municipal solid waste into methanol versus traditional landfilling or burning. The methanol production method reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 87% compared to landfilling. While not directly about microplastics, better waste management approaches like this could help reduce the amount of plastic entering the environment and eventually breaking down into microplastics.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Environmental Impacts Towards Plastic Waste by Using Pyrolysis
This study used life cycle assessment to evaluate the environmental impact of converting plastic waste into fuel through pyrolysis. The findings suggest pyrolysis can reduce plastic waste in landfills while generating usable energy, though careful emission management is required.
Valorization of floral foam waste via pyrolysis optimization for enhanced phenols recovery
Researchers optimized pyrolysis conditions for floral foam waste — a phenol formaldehyde foam that generates toxic microplastics — to maximize phenol recovery, finding that floral foam waste had 55.1% higher carbon content than biomass fractions and yielded high calorific value, demonstrating valorization potential for this problematic waste stream.
Sustainable Management of Organic Waste and Recycling for Bioplastics: A LCA Approach for the Italian Case Study
Researchers used life cycle assessment to evaluate the environmental trade-offs of collecting organic waste for biodegradable plastic production in Italy, finding that the system could reduce fossil resource use but that impacts depended heavily on collection efficiency and the end-of-life pathway chosen.