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A. Description of the AIJ project
1. Title of project: RUSAGAS: Fugitive Gas Capture Project
2. Host country: Russian Federation
3. Brief project description:
The RUSAGAS Project will reduce greenhouse (GHG) emissions by capturing fugitive natural gas emissions at two compressor stations located in Pallasovka and Saratov, Russian Federation. The project, which has a lifetime of 25 years, is implementing a program to seal the valves at the compressor stations, and thereby reduce methane (CH4) emissions that would occur otherwise.
4. Participants:
GAZPROM
The Center for Energy Efficiency (CENEf)
Oregon State University (OSU)
Sealweld Corporation
Sustainable Development Technology Corp. (SDTC)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Climate Change Division
Southern California Gas Company
Name of organization (original language)
Name of individual if unaffiliated with any organization
Name of organization (English)
(Same as above)
Acronym (original language)
None
Acronym (English)
Department
Department for Scientific and Technical Progress and Ecology
Function(s) within the AIJ project activities
Project development, project administration, financing
Street
Stroiteley Str., 8
City
Moscow
State
Post code
117939
Country
Russian Federation
Telephone
7-095-133-71-69
Fax
7-095-133-63-20
E-mail
World Wide Web-URL address
Surname
Bordiugov
First name, middle name
Anatolij G.
Job title
Chief Technologist
Direct telephone
Direct fax
Direct e-mail
The Center for Energy Efficiency
CENEf
Project development, project administration
54, Korpus, 4, Novocheremushkinskaya St.
117418
7-095-120-5147
7-095-883-9563
Gritsevich
Inna G.
Leading Researcher
Oregon State University
OSU
Department of Civil Engineering
202 Apperson Hall
Corvallis
Oregon
97331-2302
U.S.A.
541-737-3494
541-737-3052
Vinson
Ted S.
Ph.D., P.E.
vinsont@ccmail.orst.edu
Project development, technical assistance, financing
7240 Brittmoore, Suite 120
Houston
Texas
77041
713-937-9222
713-896-0821
Chisholm
Hugh
President
Sustainable Development Technology Corp
SDTC
3930 NW Witham Hill Dr., Suite M116
97330
541-737-6156
Kolchugina
Tatyana P.
kolchugt@ccmail.orst.edu
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Climate Change Division
EPA
Climate Change Division
Financing
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Policy Analysis, 401 M Street SW
Washington
District of Columbia
20026
202-260-6803
202-260-6405
Andrasko
Kenneth
202-586-3179
202-586-3485
andrasko.ken@epamail.epa.gov
Transmission and Storage Operations
Verification
555 West Fifth Street
Los Angeles
California
90013-1011
213-244-1600
213-244-8222
Strang
George E.
Vice President
5. Description of AIJ project activities
Sector(s)
Energy
Primary activity(ies)
Capture of fugitive methane emissions
Exact location (city, state, region)
Pallasovka and Saratov
Project starting date (month/year)
June 1995
Project ending date (month/year)
December 2022
Project lifetime (years)
27 years and 7 months
Current stage of project
In progress
The RUSAGAS Fugitive Gas Capture Project reduces methane emissions in the natural gas transmission and distribution systems at two compressor stations through implementation of a technical program to seal leaking valves. The compressor stations are located in Pallasovka and Saratov, and are named Pallasovskaya and Storozhovka, respectively.
The valves at each compressor station will be sealed in the order of most to least leaky, with the total number of valves sealed dependent on the level of funding for each station. The developers anticipate that all 70 leaking valves at the Pallasovskaya compressor station, and 80 of the 120 leaking valves at the Storozhovka station, will be sealed in January 1998. The technologies employed in the valve sealing program include the Sealweld Corporation's high pressure sealant injection equipment with lubricant sealants and sealant fittings.
6. Cost
(a) Explanation of methodology for calculating cost data
This information is not yet available.
(b) Cost data-Project development
(c) Cost data-Project implementation
7. Monitoring and verification of AIJ project activities and results
Party(ies) that will be monitoring project activities
Party(ies) that will be externally verifying project results
Date when the monitoring plan became (or will become) operational (month/year)
September 1998
Types of data that will be collected
Fugitive emissions
The project will be monitored through field surveys. The methane emissions from the leaking and sealed valves will be measured directly with monitoring equipment that is available in the North American gas industry, such as the pipe line valve electronic flowrate indicator. Fugitive gas emissions from valve stems and fittings can be determined directly by "bagging" the valve zone. The "bagging" procedure involves placing a bag, typically plastic, over the leaking element of a valve and securing the bag so that all fugitive emissions which vent to the atmosphere are captured in the bag. As the bag fills up to a known volume, the time required to fill the bag is noted and the leakage rate can be determined from these two measurements.
Participants agree to external verification. Southern California Gas Company will perform the verification and has provided preliminary information on their qualifications and their proposed approach which includes:
Information on the specific schedule for monitoring and verification activities is not yet available.
B. Governmental approval
Please check one of the following.
This report is a first report.
This report is an intermediate report.
This report is a final report.
Please check one of the following:
This report is a joint report. Letter(s) of approval of this report from the designated national authority of the other Party(ies) involved in the activity is(are) attached in Section J, Annex.
This report is a separate report.
Additional comments (if any):
C. Compatibility with, and supportiveness of, national economic development and socioeconomic and environmental priorities and strategies
The RUSAGAS project is compatible with the Russian government's desire to enhance environmental quality and improve the efficiency of the energy sector.
D. Environmental, social/cultural, and economic impacts of the AIJ project
A potential environmental health benefit of the project is reduced local air pollution.
By reducing methane leaks, which can cause fires and explosions, the project increases safety at the compressor stations.
A direct cost savings is accrued through the decrease in leakage of gas from the system. In addition to the direct savings from recovering lost gas, operating costs may be reduced, including (1) system maintenance and repair costs resulting from high impurity levels, and (2) the payment of emission fees (GAZPROM must pay a "pollution tax" on emissions of methane, sulfur dioxide, and NOx).
E. Greenhouse gas impacts of the AIJ project
1. Scenario description
Site number (order of presentation in this report)
1 of 2
Site name/designation
Pallasovka
Project sector
Fugitive natural gas emissions from leaking compressor valves
Has the reference scenario changed since the last report? (If yes, explain any changes below.)
Yes
No
This is the first project report.
Description:
The Pallasovka compressor station is approximately 880 km southeast of Moscow, and 220 km northeast of Volgograd. It has thirty compressor units. Eighteen units are natural gas turbines and twelve units are electric motor driven. It has an estimated maximum transmission capacity of 90 x 109 m3/yr. There are approximately 700 valves associated with the compressor station.
The chief engineer at Pallasovka estimates that approximately 10% of the valves at the compressor station are leaking. When a leaking valve is repaired, the current practice at the plant is not to lubricate the valve but, rather, to cut the valve from the pipe and replace it with a new valve. This is a very costly practice. Furthermore, depending on the location of the valve, a substantial emission of fugitive gases may occur during the cutting and replacement operation. The reference scenario assumes that none of these leaking valves would be replaced over the lifetime of the project.
The project is implementing a valve sealing program at the Pallasovka compressor station. It is projected that funding will allow for all of the leaking valves (70) to be sealed. Under the valve sealing program, the methane emissions from leaking valves are assumed to be eliminated completely and remain eliminated throughout the lifetime of the project.
2 of 2
Saratov
The Saratov compressor station is approximately 9 km north of the city of Saratov. The compressor station was constructed in the mid-1960s, and is used primarily to pump gas into two large underground storage basins. It has sixteen compressor units. Nine units are natural gas turbines and seven units are electric motor driven. The estimated maximum transmission capacity of the station is 17 x 109 m3/yr. It is estimated that there are 120 leaking valves resulting in methane emissions to the atmosphere. The reference scenario assumes that none of these leaking valves would be replaced over the lifetime of the project.
The project is implementing a valve sealing program at the Saratov compressor station. It is projected that funding will allow for approximately 80 of the 120 leaking valves to be sealed. Under the valve sealing program, the methane emissions from leaking valves are assumed to be eliminated completely and remain eliminated throughout the lifetime of the project.
2. GHG emission/sequestration calculation methodology
Site number
The reference scenario for Site 1, the Pallasovka compressor station, is based on the current estimated emissions of methane from leaking valves at the station. It is estimated that there are 70 leaking valves that emit a total of approximately 9.2 x 106 m3 CH4/yr. Based on measurements of 16 leaking valves, the minimum and maximum emissions measured were 15 m3/hr and 1,300 m3/hr, respectively. To be conservative, the lowest emission level of 15 m3/hr is used. Therefore, a leaky valve will produce annual fugitive gas emissions of 131,400 m3 CH4/yr (= 15 m3/hr * 24 hrs/day * 365 days/yr). Total annual emissions are 9.2 x 106 m3 CH4/yr (= 131,400 m3 CH4/yr * 70 valves). To convert from volume to mass, an average density of 700 g/m3 is used (the density of CH4 is 720 g/m3 at 0oC and 1 atm; and 670 g/m3 at 20oC and 1 atm). Thus, Site 1 reference scenario annual emissions are estimated to be 6,440 t CH4 (= 9.2 x 106 m3 CH4/yr * .0007 t/m3).
Expert assessment has determined that without intervention the emission levels could increase up to 5% per year. However, to be conservative, no increase is assumed and, therefore, reference scenario emissions remain constant throughout the life of the project.
In the project scenario, emissions are reduced by repairing valves at the compressor station. Repaired valves have zero emissions. At Pallasovka, it is projected that all of the leaking valves (70) are sealed, resulting in zero project scenario emissions throughout the life of the project.
The reference scenario for Site 2, the Saratov compressor station, is based on the current estimated emissions of methane from leaking valves at the station. It is estimated that there are 120 leaking valves, emitting approximately 94 x 106 m3 CH4/yr (the head environmental engineer for the Saratov station estimated that the fugitive gas emissions at the station were in the range of 0.5 - 0.6 % of the maximum gas transmission capacity of the compressor station; the average is equivalent to 94 x 106 m3 CH4/yr). To convert from volume to mass, an average density of 700 g/m3 is used (the density of CH4 is 720 g/m3 at 0oC and 1 atm; and 670 g/m3 at 20oC and 1 atm). Thus, Site 2 reference scenario annual emissions are estimated to be 65,800 t CH4 (= 94 x 106 m3 CH4/yr * .0007 t/m3).
In the project scenario, emissions are reduced by repairing valves at the compressor station. Repaired valves have zero emissions. At Saratov, it is estimated that 80 of the 120 leaking valves are sealed, resulting in emissions of 31 x106 m3 CH4/yr (= 40/120 * 94 x 106 m3 CH4/yr) from the 40 remaining leaking valves. Thus, Site 2 project scenario annual emissions are equivalent to 21,700 t CH4 (= 31 x106 m3 CH4/yr * 0.0007 t/m3). The project scenario emissions remain constant throughout the life of the project.
3. GHG emission/sequestration data
(a) Reporting of GHG emissions/sequestration
(b) Additional information on GHG emissions/sequestration
Given the nature of this projectcapture of CH4 at compressor valves that would have leaked to the atmosphere otherwiseloss or reversal of benefits accrued will not be possible. However, there is some risk that inadequate maintenance will diminish the effectiveness of the valve sealing program over time which would result in the projected GHG reduction benefits not being achieved.
The monitoring and evaluation plans that are part of the project will keep track of the program's effectiveness. In addition, participants have included provisions for training in operations, maintenance, and repair. The proposal also notes that once the valves have been initially cleaned and sealed, they will only require a small quantity of additional lubricant/sealant to be injected upon a scheduled basis which will result in a negligible cost to GAZPROM.
F. Funding of the AIJ project
1. Identification of funding sources
(a) Funding sources for project development
Sealweld Corp.
20,000
OSU/USEPA
10,000
Total
30,000
Note: SDTC, Sealweld Corp., and GAZPROM contributed staff time of professionals in their respective organizations equal to approximately $20,000 (no cash contributions).
(b) Funding sources for project implementation
Unidentified utility investor
162,500
2. Assessment of additional funding needs
Dr. Vinson will explore the opportunities for financing the project with Ex-Im Bank and with other financial agencies.
G. Contribution to capacity building and technology transfer
The project will demonstrate GHG capture, energy efficiency, and energy saving techniques that are cost effective and credible in the Russian Federation. There is great need and potential to implement valve sealing programs across the Russian Federation; hence RUSAGAS serves as a model for this type of activity.
H. Recent developments, technical difficulties, and obstacles encountered
I. Additional information
J. Annex
1. Host country acceptance of the AIJ project
Russian Federation / RUSAGAS: Fugitive Gas Capture Project
Alexander I. Bedritsky, Head of Roshydromet, Chairman of the Interagency Commission of the Russian Federation on Climate Change Problems, Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring
2. Letters of approval of this AIJ project report
See attached concurrence form.
© 2013 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
