PRESS RELEASE
March 30, 1995
Shooting Down CO2 Emissions

A newly-developed automatic flare ignition system is making an original and environmentally-friendly contribution to reducing the amount of gas flared off from oil platforms. It could also help prevent environmental damage from flare-stack emissions in countries throughout the world.

The system has been developed by the Norwegian companies Raufoss Technology, Techno Consult, and Restech Norway on commission from the Norwegian National Oil Company, Statoil. A gun fires a projectile through the air to ignite the gas at the top of the flare-stack. The design, which can also be used on land-based installations, has already attracted considerable international interest.
The imposition of CO2-duty on flare-stack emissions in the Norwegian Sector of the North Sea forced Statoil to find ways of reducing flare-off time. Gas will now only be flared-off when there is an operational need for it. The new ignition system simplifies the re-ignition process.




Compressed-Air Gun
The 20-mm compressed-air-operated gun fires an ignition projectile against a deflection-plate set at an angle under the flare-tip. When the ignition projectile hits the plate, it explodes and sends a shower of hot sparks through the gas-cloud. The sparks burn for several seconds at a temperature of some thousands of degrees Celsius, and so provide a reliable source of ignition.
During development, the system was subjected to thorough full-scale testing on the Norwegian Gullfaks-C platform, and worked perfectly with both full and lean gas emissions. The ignition projectile is developed and produced by Raufoss Technology, which has 100 years' experience in the manufacture of munitions.
‘This flare-ignition system is a good example of modern munitions technology applied in a civilian, environmentally-friendly context', said Birger Hofsten, Director of Raufoss. ‘Flare-off from oil platforms is a major cause of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, and can represent as much as 10% of CO2 emissions from installations in the Norwegian Sector'.

Similar Requirements
‘The safety requirements we meet in munitions production are as high as those on offshore installations'. Hofsten continued. ‘We are therefore well prepared for the strict requirements oil companies impose on producers of vital equipment for oil platforms'.
The system is now installed and operational on both Gullfaks A and C platforms, and has already received a prize for originality and for its contribution to more efficient and environmentally-friendly oil and gas production.

Bullseye
With only minor adjustments, the system could be used on similar installations throughout the world. The positive response from oil multinationals indicates that the manufacturers have hit the bull with their new anti-pollution weapon.

Captions:
1. Gas flames illuminate a snow-covered landscape during testing of the flare-ignition system.

2. The compressed-air gun shoots the ignition projectile towards a deflector plate below the flare-tip. The projectile explodes on contact, sending a shower of hot sparks which ignite the gas.


For further information please contact:
Birger Hofsten, Director for Information and Community Relations
Raufoss A/S Norway
Tel: +47 61 15 25 38, fax: +47 61 15 25 99

Tom Ødemark, Departmental Manager
Techno Consult Norway
Tel: +47 67 57 18 00 Fax: +47 67 57 18 49


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