Air
Reducing our impact
Groundbirch has a GHG Energy Management plan in place with several emission reduction projects and plans, each with various stages of maturity. While actively pursuing projects, Groundbirch also focuses on many process improvements that will help build a robust and continuous emissions management process.
- Shell is part of an external industry group called the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership which is focused on improving methane measurement.
- We employe a federal and provincial compliant leak detection and repair program.
- We deploy electric actuator technology on our well pads to eliminate venting.
- Though flares do have continuous pilot flames, no continuous flaring and venting takes place in the Groundbirch asset.
- We have a range of technologies and work practices in place to help find and address unintended – or fugitive–methane emissions in our operations. We also implement energy-efficiency measures, as well as flaring and venting reduction programs.
- Since 2020, Groundbirch reduced onsite pneumatic venting, leading to 5,500 tonnes of CO2e reduction.
Improvements and updates
Groundbirch focuses on many process improvements that will help build a robust and continuous emissions management process.
- Gen 4 Multi-Well Pad: The upgraded version of optimized well pad is designed to increase production capacity and decrease costs and includes electric valve actuators to reduce methane emissions from the wellsite.
- GHG emissions have been decreased (per pad) by about 90% using this technology. All subsequent well pads will continue to use this design. We continue to optimize this multi-well pad design to further improve on execution efficiency.
- GHG emissions have been decreased (per pad) by about 90% using this technology. All subsequent well pads will continue to use this design. We continue to optimize this multi-well pad design to further improve on execution efficiency.
- The Saturn 2 Gas Plant: The expected emission reduction in compared to a gas-powered plant is 130 kt CO2e/yr. This is roughly equivalent to avoiding 26,000 cars on the road per year in terms of emissions.