Fugitive emissions are a significant concern to industries worldwide looking to be good stewards of the environment. As per the International Energy Agency's report[i], a considerable proportion of the global methane emissions are categorized as fugitive emissions, amounting to 20% of the annual 570 million metric tons. Due to increased concerns about health, safety, and environmental protection, fugitive emissions have become a major focus for industrial equipment end users, oil and natural gas operators, midstream and pipeline companies, chemical plants, refineries, and other industrial facilities. Let us first examine the definition of fugitive emissions and evaluate the potential factors that may cause your system to encounter issues related to fugitive emissions.
Fugitive emissions are the inadvertent and unwanted emission, evaporation, flare, spill, leakage, or discharge of gases or vapors from pressure-containing equipment or facilities. The aforementioned encompasses any damages incurred due to internal components within a plant, refinery, or another industrial complex, including valves, pipe flanges, storage tanks, and pressurized rotating equipment, such as pumps and compressors. These fugitive gases and vapors include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, and nitrogen trifluoride.
Fugitive emissions can be regarded as a gradual and cumulative environmental harm which at the individual level might not seem significant, but counted together across the globe, can have a major impact to the ecology. Fugitive emissions can be likened to the undesirable effects of inadequate insulation on a home which cannot stay cool in the summer or warm in the winter. Instead of emitting hot or cold air, the discharge consists of harmful gases.
To safeguard the environment and promote health and safety, industrial and governmental entities have implemented stricter regulations on fugitive emissions. These regulations have posed more arduous obstacles for Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) initiatives. Fugitive emissions are regulated by various national and international organizations, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the European Union (EU), the American Petroleum Institute (API), and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The emissions of VOCs are a matter of considerable environmental apprehension due to their potential for inducing Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (POCP), Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP), Global Warming Potential (GWP), toxicity, carcinogenicity, and local nuisance from odor. The mitigation of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions is a critical concern for numerous industrial operations.
Fugitive emissions stemming from equipment leaks are inadvertent losses that may arise due to inadequate seal design, routine wear and tear, defective or incomplete component assembly, inadequate material specification, manufacturing defects, damage incurred during installation or usage, corrosion, fouling, and environmental factors. The average emissions of components are observed to increase when exposed to frequent thermal cycling, vibrations, or cryogenic service.
Fugitive emissions pose a significant risk due to the difficulty in detecting their presence using conventional control systems and facility monitoring equipment, which can result in uncontrolled atmospheric leaks. Apart from the plausible environmental implications, fugitive emissions can also give rise to a substantial economic liability due to the significant loss of potentially valuable resources and the consequent reduction in equipment and/or production efficiency. In the majority of cases, the genuine expenses are not fully recognized due to the fact that numerous costs linked with fugitive emissions remain imperceptible. The concept of invisible costs encompasses various expenses that are not immediately apparent but are associated with the repair of leaks, such as labor costs, materials costs, energy wastage, plant inefficiencies, expenses related to environmental remediation, penalties for environmental violations, diminished sales due to negative public perception, and compensation claims for personal injuries. The true value associated with fugitive emissions is contingent upon multiple factors including:
Seals are integral components in industrial applications like chemical plants and petroleum refineries, serving the purpose of mitigating leaks and confining pressure within valves, pumps and other rotating apparatus. A new generation of mechanical seal devices has been created in recent years to offer value-focused solutions for the management of fugitive emissions in pumps. Across the equipment spectrum, sealing technology has been continuously upgraded in preparation of growing environmental restrictions. The service life of a seal may be influenced by various external factors such as appropriate material selection for construction, effective implementation of the design methodology, utilization of advanced manufacturing processes, consideration of potential adversities that the seal may encounter, and contemplation of the impact of the process medium on the seal. Through appropriate seal and material selection and effective maintenance practices, organizations can mitigate the potential for fugitive emissions and ensure adherence to regulatory standards. Four important factors can impact the quality of the sealing conditions.
Note: You can learn more about the three major reasons seals fail here.
Regular maintenance of process plants and equipment is a crucial aspect of effective operation, encompassing both pro-active (preventative) and reactive methodologies. To mitigate fugitive emissions, proper maintenance and equipment monitoring beyond the standard control systems are essential. Although many companies rely on scheduled maintenance or focus maintenance-as-needed processes, Total Productive Maintenance (or TPM) can have a significant positive impact on your business, your environmental impact, and your bottom line. You can learn more about Total Productive Maintenance here.
In light of the global effort to mitigate adverse environmental effects and adopt the energy transition initiative, corporations can exhibit their dedication as a collaborative stakeholder by minimizing fugitive emissions stemming from their activities. The reduction of fugitive emissions not only has positive environmental implications, but it also has the potential to generate cost savings and enhance workplace safety for employees in a number of industries across the globe. Forward-thinking organizations can take proactive and transparent measures to address the issues and reduce fugitive emissions. This approach can yield tangible outcomes for both the environment and business. The responsibility of mitigating fugitive emissions falls on businesses, which encounter various challenges such as increasing regulations, outdated technology, and the necessity for a customized solution in order to maintain competitiveness in an environmentally conscious economy.
[i] https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2022