As part of its policies to reduce the carbon footprint and promote research, SONATRACH, in collaboration with the Algerian Space Agency (ASAL), has taken an important step in estimating the volumes of gas flares through the satellite tool in Algeria. In addition, the collaboration aims to allow better analysis and estimation of SONATRACH’s investigation regarding reducing gas flaring and carbon footprint induced by its activities.

ASAL researchers have implemented a methodology for estimating the volumes of gas flared from the exploitation of nocturnal images in the visible and infrared of the VIIRS sensor on board the meteorological satellite, the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP).

This methodology was rewarded and published in the A-rank scientific journal: “Remote Sensing” of the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI) on May 10, 2022.

The results obtained by ASAL demonstrate consistency with the volumes measured on the ground by SONATRACH and present significant changes in the volumes previously observed by other organisations. According to ASAL researchers, these variations are present because the calibration coefficient was not updated, and the specific flaring events [including stops, starts, trips, etc.] were not considered.

The precision of the methodology developed by ASAL is based on the “automatic detection of the flared gas flame on the VIIRS satellite images”, and the application of “spectral unmixing” techniques aimed at working on “pure” spectra flare flames and on the “calibration of radiant heat volumes”.

SONATRACH believes that this collaborative effort is important for environmental protection and ensuring that the company achieves its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. In addition, the research further demonstrates SONATRACH’s confidence in the Algerian researchers who support its operation by continually improving their performance.