Energy & Science

Permian’s Gas-Flaring Is Much Worse Than Previously Thought

  • Flaring, venting from processing facilities adds to wellheads
  • Texas regulators have come under pressure as flaring surges
The silhouette of an electric oil pump jack is seen near a flare at night in the oil fields surrounding Midland, Texas.Photographer: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg
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The burning and releasing of vast amounts of natural gas into the atmosphere in America’s top shale basin is much bigger than previously thought when processing plants are included, Rystad Energy found.

Research on the controversial practices of flaring and venting -- described by shale pioneer Scott Sheffield as a “black eye” for the Permian Basin -- has typically focused on emissions by oil producers at the wellhead.