The World Bank held the 3rd Regional Conference of the Global Partnership in Tashkent on reduction of gas flaring

      On June 15, Tashkent hosted the third regional conference of the Global Partnership to reduce the flaring of associated gas (GGFR) on 'Utilization of associated gas and the implementation of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects in the oil and gas industry. Uzbekistan's experience'.
     The event was organized by the World Bank, which heads the Global Partnership to reduce the burning of associated gas (GGFR) jointly with the NHC Uzbekneftegaz.
     The conference was attended by representatives of governments and national oil companies of Europe and Central Asia, as well as international oil and gas companies and financial institutions.
     In his speech, Chairman of the NHC Uzbekneftegaz Shokir Fayzullaev noted that today mankind faces very important tasks that require the most responsible approach. First of all we are talking about removing the existing threat to the ecology coming from the world's power industry and above all reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases and pollutants, caused by the consumption of various hydrocarbons, including oil and gas. Only joint efforts can solve the problem of preservation of ecological balance in the world.
     During the conference, a short documentary about recycling gas in Uzbekistan and cooperation of NHC Uzbekneftegaz with GGFR was displayed. Members and guests were shown images taken from satellites and scientific charts indicating that the burning of gas takes place around the world. According to experts, every year 140 billion cubic meters of natural gas is wasted or unnecessarily burned. For example, if the entire world reduces emissions of carbon dioxide derived from combustion, it will be equivalent to removing almost 70 million vehicles from the roads. This in turn would help to significantly reduce the negative impact on the environment.
     The annual level of gas flaring in Europe and Central Asia is more than 60 billion cubic meters, which is equivalent to emissions of about 120 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year. However, countries such as Uzbekistan, are successfully working on the creation of appropriate conditions and incentives to reduce the burning and increased volumes of gas. As highlighted at the event, back in 1992 the United Nations adopted Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Framework Convention has become the first international agreement, which was designed to combat global climate change, its consequences and marked a tendency of mankind to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions to such an extent that would prevent dangerous poisonous effect on the environment. In 1993, Uzbekistan joined the Convention.
     The conference also discussed issues relating reduction of the flaring of associated gas, flare gas recovery, processing and transportation of gas, the presence of impurities in the gas, complicating its use, as well as the use of low-energy to reduce gas flaring.
     In particular, in his report on strengthening of the global gas flaring reduction, the head of GGFR Bent Svensson said that GGFR has achieved important results. Today GGFR supports efforts to reduce the burning of gas in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. He also highlighted the fact that with the help of World Bank-led Global Partnership to reduce the flaring of gases, leading oil producing companies and countries are working together towards reducing inefficient combustion of gases by overcoming barriers to growth in the use of associated gas.
     For example, NHC Uzbekneftegaz became a partner of GGFR in June 2008. Since then, the company is actively working on the use of burned associated gas.
     Together with GGFR, Uzbekneftegaz successfully improves the system of measuring the volume of flared gas, and creates the potential in this area. Implementing the plan into practice on the use of associated gas, Uzbekneftegaz identifies existing sources of combustion gas and determines the most rational technical and financial solutions for the utilization of associated gas from these sources.
     The conference was a sort of a platform to discuss issues of unnecessary gas flaring, and contributed to the development of joint plans and exchange of experience in this sphere of specialists from different countries.

UzReport 19.06.2012