Gas flaring is the burning of natural gas resulting from industrial oil extraction and oil production. Gas companies burn natural gas to relieve high pressure during oil extraction or because gas found during extraction, called associated petroleum gas, can be difficult or expensive to store and use. The practice releases a variety of pollutants into the environment, including greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide, methane, and black carbon.

Gas flaring emits around 350 million metric tons of CO2e every year, nearly 1% of global CO2e emissions. That’s around a third of what air travel emits every year (around 1 billion tons), and more than the annual emissions of the United Kingdom (around 340 million tons).

Countries with significant oil production and exploration activities tend to have higher instances of gas flaring. With inadequate infrastructure, excess gas is either incinerated at the top of towering stacks or in open pits on the ground.

Between November 2021 and September 2022 alone, Nigeria’s gas flaring activities emitted 11.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, carrying a monetary value of $757.9 million.

Sorry, this content can't be viewed in a landscape orientation.

Please turn your device to portrait.