Pioneer Energy announced that the US Department of Energy has committed four innovative projects totaling $27 million. It awarded three of them toward the innovative company’s emission-reducing, oil producing, and enhancing crude yield from 5 to 10% with groundbreaking ECT.
The fourth grant, in partnership with Emvolon, Inc., will fund a novel system for converting flare gas into methanol. These projects mark significant steps toward Pioneer Energy’s goal of reducing environmental impact while increasing operational efficiency.
Advancing Emission Control Treater Technology
Pioneer’s Emission Control Treater, or ECT, is the cutting-edge, near-zero-emission technology that will boost crude oil yield by 5-10%. ECT operates as a closed system with no routine flaring and without atmospheric storage tanks. The ECT improves separation, preventing flash gas in the crude and reducing heavy NGLs left in the gas. The system features cloud-connected automation, letting operators remotely monitor and control production, saving time and reducing field trip costs.
The ECT’s modular design allows easy resizing, optimizing capital expenditure and reducing the total cost of ownership over time.
One of the projects, which has received a $10 million award from the DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM), will scale the ECT from pilot to a commercial level of 2,500 barrels per day (BPD). Bayswater Exploration & Production and Prairie Operating will deploy the ECT system in field trials in Colorado, starting in Q4 2025.
Zero-Emission Processing for Sour Crude
The DOE has awarded Pioneer a $6 million grant to adapt the ECT technology for processing sour crude oil. This project will show the system’s ability to reduce emissions while lowering sulfur levels, making crude suitable for low-sulfur markets. The demonstration will take place in partnership with Bayswater Exploration & Production.
Pioneer received a $5 million DOE grant to scale down the ECT into mini-systems for marginal wells. Diversified Energy will test the systems at its Cotton Valley Basin sites for 12 months to reduce emissions.
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A $6 million grant will help Emvolon, Inc. develop a system to convert flare gas into methanol, cutting methane emissions. The project will be demonstrated in the Eagle Ford Basin, Texas.
Pioneer Energy’s CEO Eyal Aronoff said, “We are thrilled to receive the support of the Department of Energy to help us scale and commercialize our zero emissions technology. Deploying our Emission Control Treater (ECT) will result in a substantial increase in oil revenues.
He added, “The new grants will help us demonstrate the wide applicability of the ECT including processing sour crude, and for low producing wells, while simultaneously eliminating or greatly reducing unwanted flaring.”
The projects will demonstrate ECT technology at oil well pads, with assessments on flaring and methane reductions by experts. These results will verify the effectiveness of Pioneer’s technologies in reducing environmental impacts.