Ghana flared 28.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas in 2024

Ghana lost 28,501.24 million standard cubic feet of natural gas through flaring. This loss is worth approximately $170 million.

The information comes from the 2024 annual report by the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC). The figure represents 10.40% of the total raw gas used in the year. This gas was sourced from three oil fields: Jubilee, Sankofa-Gye Nyame (SGN), and Tweneboa-Enyenra-Ntomme (TEN).

Gas flaring involves burning excess natural gas that cannot be collected or transported economically. Over time, more excess gas has been burned into the atmosphere.

In 2022, flared gas volume increased by 19.3%. This was compared to a volume of 21.2 billion cubic feet in 2021. Flaring contributes to environmental issues like greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.

Ghana has a zero-flaring policy for oil and gas production. However, significant amounts of gas are still flared due to limited processing capacity.

PIAC is worried about wasting this resource, especially during power cuts in the country. Richard Kojo Ellimah from PIAC stated that no company should flare gas according to EPA regulations.

However, because the Atuabo Gas processing plant can't handle all produced associated gas, excess is often flared. This practice harms the environment and wastes valuable resources.

The government plans to build a second gas processing plant (GPPII). This facility aims to reduce flaring and convert excess gas into usable energy.

Mr. Ellimah urges for faster completion of this project within three years. He expressed satisfaction with cabinet's approval for it.

He believes this project should be a national priority. If construction starts soon, Ghana could benefit from its excess gas in two to three years.

While complex and costly, Mr. Ellimah emphasizes its importance for sustainability and economic growth.