Whats the point of burning something on oil fields?

Question

I always see this, on oil rigs, everywhere. whats the point of these fires? what is this burned? oil? isnt this polluting a lot? couldnt these fires be used as an energy for something if its already burning?

http://www.alaska-in-pictures.com/data/media/17/oil-rig-with-crew-boats_3218.jpg

http://www.worldpress.org/images/20060421-mexico-oil-field.jpg

Answer 1

Usually they are burning off the extra Natural Gas from the well. They should be storeing it as its a great fuel for home and possibly for specialized cars.

Answer 2

What they burn off is waste gas that is not produced in economically feasible quantities to be worth cleaning of impurities and using. If it were purer and produced in greater quantities, it would be put to good use.

Answer 3

Its usually natural gas.   It puts out such a dark cloud of smoke since it isn't cleaned of impurities and probably has a little oil mixed in with it.   The rigs that do this are oil rigs and aren't really interested in the gas.   They'd have to install  completely different equipment to handle it and add additional piping to carry the gas who knows how far to a terminal to process it.   They do often use the gas to run generators on the platform though.

Answer 4

You have 5questions so I'll give you 5 answers!

1. The point is to burn off waste gases that would otherwise constitute a fire hazard (bringing oil to the surface nearly always brings gas to the surface as well).

2. Natural gas is being burned

3. No, not oil

4. Yes, it is hugely polluting

5. Yes, the gas and/or the energy from burning it could be used for something else. It is actually shameful that we waste fossil fuels in this way but it boils down to economics... very sad.

Answer 5

I've wondered the same thing.  There aren't any oil rigs in my area, but there's a landfill about 10 miles from here that has a flame constantly burning, probably burning off methane produced by the garbage.  I wonder why they don't use some of that to power something useful.  It probably wouldn't be enough to provide power for a whole town, but it might be enough to power a generator that could be used to recharge electric garbage trucks.  Maybe I'll suggest that to my Congressman.