Flare Gas Volume Calculator

Work out flare gas volume instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Flare Gas Volume Calculator

Flaring converts methane to carbon dioxide, but incomplete combustion lets a small fraction slip unburned. Because methane has a global warming potential around 28 times carbon dioxide over a century, even 2% methane slip contributes materially to the carbon dioxide equivalent total.

Formulas

Flare emissions

CO2 (t) = volume (scf) x 0.0545 kg/scf x combustion efficiency / 1000

Methane slip

CH4 (t) = volume x methane fraction x (1 - efficiency) x 0.0192 kg/scf / 1000; CO2e adds CH4 x 28

Worked example

With the default values below, Flare Gas Volume Calculator returns Total CO2 Equivalent of 93.824. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Flared Gas Rateminimum 0 MMscf/day: 1.5 MMscf/day
Flaring Durationminimum 0 hours: 24 hours
Methane Contentaccepts 0–100 %: 85 %
Combustion Efficiencyaccepts 50–100 %: 98 %

Results

Total CO2 Equivalent: 93.824
Gas Volume Flared: 1.5000
Carbon Dioxide Emitted: 80.115
Unburned Methane Slip: 0.4896

Step by step

1Values used
2Flare emissions
3Methane slip
4Total CO2 Equivalent= 93.824
5Gas Volume Flared= 1.5000
6Carbon Dioxide Emitted= 80.115
7Unburned Methane Slip= 0.4896

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 4 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
Flaring is subject to permits, volume limits and emissions reporting obligations in most jurisdictions. Emissions factors must follow the applicable reporting protocol.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Flaring is subject to permits, volume limits and emissions reporting obligations in most jurisdictions. Emissions factors must follow the applicable reporting protocol.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is methane slip so important?

At 98% combustion efficiency the 2% slip can contribute a third or more of the total carbon dioxide equivalent, because of methane's high warming potential. Flare efficiency measurement is therefore a regulatory focus.

What reduces flaring?

Gas gathering and sales, reinjection, on-site power generation, and vapour recovery units on tanks. Routine flaring is increasingly prohibited or heavily penalised.