US 11,859,815 B2
Flare control at well sites
Omar Adnan Al-Shaiji, Dhahran (SA); Khalid M. Alajmi, Dhahran (SA); and Omar M. Alhamid, Dammam (SA)
Assigned to Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on May 18, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/323,632.
Prior Publication US 2022/0373176 A1, Nov. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. F23G 7/08 (2006.01); E21B 41/00 (2006.01)
CPC F23G 7/085 (2013.01) [E21B 41/0071 (2013.01); F23G 2207/102 (2013.01); F23G 2207/30 (2013.01); F23G 2209/14 (2013.01); F23G 2900/55006 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of flaring, comprising:
disposing a flare system comprising a flare at a well site comprising a wellhead and a wellbore, the wellbore formed in a subterranean formation for production of crude oil or natural gas, or both, from the subterranean formation, wherein the flare system comprises a flare stack and a flare tip;
providing produced fluid comprising hydrocarbon from the wellhead to the flare stack;
flowing the produced fluid through the flare stack to the flare tip, the flare tip comprising a nozzle for discharge of the produced fluid from the flare tip;
providing air from an air compressor disposed external to the flare through a discharge conduit to the flare tip;
discharging the produced fluid and the air from the flare tip, wherein discharging comprises flowing the produced fluid and the air through a nozzle discharge opening of the nozzle to external to the flare tip, and wherein the air combines with the produced fluid in the flare tip and discharges with the produced fluid through the nozzle discharge opening from the flare tip;
combusting the hydrocarbon of the produced fluid as discharged from the flare via the flare tip; and
adjusting, via a control system, the flow area of the nozzle discharge opening by positioning an elliptical ball in the nozzle discharge opening and moving at least a portion of the elliptical ball through the nozzle discharge opening to external of the flare tip.