Well fluid disposal apparatus

Abstract

Flaring apparatus for disposing of well fluid has a pump 10 in fluid communication with a source of well fluid 24. The pump is configured to pressurise the supplied well fluid and supply it to at leas

Description

Field The present invention relates to well fluid disposal, and in particular to well fluid disposal via flaring using a high pressure delivery pump to deliver oil to a burner nozzle. Background Well testing is a process used to identify a reservoir and establish well parameters. In the process of well testing, well fluids (oil and gas) are extracted and they need to be disposed of. Disposal of well fluids typically is carried out using a flare to combust the well fluids, converting toxic gases and vapours into less harmful combustion products for release into the environment. The current method for disposing of such well fluids (for example crude oil) on offshore installations is via an oilfield burner or flare. Oil is either flowed or pumped to the burner at a relatively low pressure. The burner then uses an air compressor to provide energy to the oil to accelerate it through the burner nozzles to assist in the atomisation of the well fluids. These air compressors are large diesel operated air compressors, their size being large in order to achieve adequate airflow for vaporising the oil. The airflow volume requirements for these type of burners will be high - typically approximately 8000 m3 / hr to 14000 m3 / hr (or 4800 to 8000 cubic feet per minute (cfm) = 8155 to 13592 m3 / hr). Indeed, reaching such volumetric flow rates for the air flow typically requires more than one diesel driven air compressor, which must be running continuously during the flaring, i.e. whenever the well testing is occurring. The emissions associated with these diesel driven air compressors, due to their continuous use like this, is significant. The present invention seeks to reduce emissions, as such a reduction in carbon emissions in offshore services is essential for meeting net zero targets by 2050. Indeed, there is an ongoing need to adapt processes used in well fluid extraction and disposal to reduce emissions in any area possible. SUMMARY According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a flaring apparatus for disposing of well fluid, the flaring apparatus comprising a pump and at least one burner nozzle, wherein the pump is configured to receive well fluid from a well fluid source and to pump the well fluid to the burner nozzle, the pump being configured to pressurise the well fluid and the flaring apparatus further comprising a delivery path for conveying the pressurised well fluid to the burner nozzle, and the pressurised well fluid is conveyed to the burner nozzle via a pressure operated check valve. The pressure operated check valve is preferably provided along the delivery path. Preferably it is within a burner head of the flaring apparatus. Advantageously the apparatus does not require a diesel driven air compressor at the nozzle to flare the well fluid because the well fluid is provided to the burner nozzle at a pressure which is optimal for spraying or atomising the well fluid ready for flaring. The present invention thus supplies well fluids to the burner nozzle at a high pressure, and does not require the use of multiple air compressors, or their associated diesel engines. One or more high pressure delivery pump can be used to pump the well fluids to the burner nozzle(s) at a required pressure. In some embodiments the one or more high pressure pump uses a residual pressure of the well fluid, which exists due to the pressures within the well fluid source (e.g. a well or bore hole). In some embodiments residual pressure also can be utilised from the well fluid’s separation process or its storage vessel. The present invention is thus able to capitalise on existing pressure sources, thus further reducing the energy requirements of the flaring process. With the present invention, the well fluids do not require additional energy (e.g. from pumped additional air flow) to spray or atomise the well fluids at the burner nozzle(s) because the well fluids are supplied to the burner nozzle(s) already at the required pressure. In some embodiments the pump can be electrically driven, which may further reduce emissions due to the complete removal of all diesel generators, in addition to the removal of diesel driven air compressors. As indicated previously, in some embodiments the flaring apparatus or burner nozzle(s) comprises a pressure operated check valve. The check valve may be positioned between the pump and the burner nozzle(s). The apparatus may be configured such that the well fluids are only provided to the burner nozzle(s) when a predetermined target pressure is reached. Thus, once the well fluid’s pressure exceeds the check valve’s release pressure, or crack pressure, the check valve can be configured to open, whereupon energised well fluid can be directed through the burner nozzle(s) for flaring operations, thus ensuring a complete spray pattern or atomisation for the well fluid, and thus allowing a clean and efficient burn of the sprayed or atomised well fluid. In some embodiments the pump is configured to pump the well fluids at a flow rate of up to a maximum volumetric flow rate of 1908 m3 per day. In some embodiments the pump is suitable for pumping up to a pressure of 13800 kPa. The efficiency of the flaring process is improved through the use of the pump directly on the well fluid, rather than pumping air and entraining the well fluid into that air. Furthermore, because pre-existing pressure of the well fluid can then be utilised, this further improves the efficiency of the flaring operation. In some embodiments the pump is driven by an electric motor with a preferred power of about 150kW (200HP). In some embodiments the flaring apparatus comprises a plurality of burner nozzles. In some embodiments there are twelve burner nozzles. In some embodiments the flaring apparatus comprises a plurality of pressure operated check valves, each associated with one burner nozzle. In some embodiments there are twelve of each. The pressure operated check valves ensure that the well fluid only reaches each burner nozzle when the optimal (or a predetermined) pressure is reached, thereby ensuring correct spray or atomisation characteristics for the well fluid as it exits the or each burner nozzle, thus allowing a clean and efficient burn of the well fluid. In some embodiments a plurality of nozzles and pressure operated check valves are fitted to a single burner head. There may be two or more such heads provided for the flaring apparatus, for example spaced apart on a boom, for example two at ends of a boom, or two or more spaced along a boom. In some embodiments a burner head has twelve nozzles and twelve check valves. In some embodiments each burner nozzle is configured to flare well fluid at a flow rate in excess of 100 m3 per day, and preferably at about 159m3 per day (1,000 barrels per day). In some embodiments each burner nozzle operates at a pressure in excess of 10,000 kPa, and more preferably of 11000 to 14000 kPa, and most preferably of about 12400 kPa (1,800psig). In some embodiments each pressure operated check valve has a crack pressure (a target release pressure) in excess of 10,000 kPa, and preferably of between 11000 and 14000 kPa, and most preferably of about 12400 kPa (1,800psig). In some embodiments no additional airflow is required by the burner nozzle. Therefore the use of associated diesel engines is unnecessary. In some embodiments the burner nozzle, or the plurality of burner nozzles, is / are provided on a burner head. In some embodiments the flaring apparatus comprises two or more burner heads, each provided with one or more burner nozzle. Two (or more) burner heads allows flaring of well fluid in changing external conditions, such as if there is a change in wind direction, by having each burner head facing a different direction. In some embodiments the flaring apparatus comprises a diverter manifold configured to selectively provide well fluid to the one or more burner head. In some embodiments the burner head or the burner heads are provided on at least one burner boom - for example at ends thereof, or along the boom, or both. In some embodiments the well fluid is oil (e.g. crude oil or a distillate thereof). In other embodiments the well fluid comprises natural gas. In some embodiments the well fluid is a combination of oil and natural gas. In some embodiments the well fluid is oil. The pump pumps the oil out of the nozzle to vaporise or spray it therefrom for flaring. In some embodiments the well fluid is a mixture of oil and natural gas. In some embodiments the pump entrains the oil within the natural gas so that the mixture vaporises or sprays from the nozzle for flaring. In some embodiments the pump can pump either just oil or a mixture of oil and natural gas and adjusting its mode of operation as necessary to enable vaporising or spraying the oil or mixture from the nozzle for flaring. The pump is not connected to an air source, and thus does not mix air into the oil or the mixture, although the nozzle may mix air with the oil or the mixture as it vaporises or sprays the oil or the mixture. The use of oil from a well, and directly pumping it through the nozzle, also requires less energy than a conventional air-to-oil mixing pump as only the oil needs to be pumped, rather than air and oil. In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of disposing well fluid comprising connecting a source of well fluid to a pump, pressurising the well fluid using the pump, conveying the well fluid from the pump to a burner nozzle for spraying or atomising the well fluid, and flaring the sprayed or atomised well fluid as it exits the burner nozzle. In some embodiments the well fluid is conveyed via a pressure operated check valve. In some embodiments the method uses the flaring apparatus as described in the above embodiments. In some embodiments the well fluid is pressurised by the pump to a pressure in excess of 10,000 kPa, and more preferably to a pressure of about 12400 kPa. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other features and aspects of the present invention will now be described in further detail, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 schematically illustrates an apparatus for disposing of well fluid with a pair of spaced burner heads with burner nozzles in accordance with an aspect of the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a pump for use in an aspect of the present invention; Fig. 3 shows three pumps in parallel for use in an aspect of the present invention; Fig. 4 shows a cut-away view inside a pump for use in an aspect of the present invention; Fig. 5(A) and Fig. 5(B) schematically show a side view and a perspective view of a burner head and burner nozzles for use in an aspect of the present invention; Fig. 6 schematically shows check valves for burner nozzles of the burner head of Figure 5(A) for use in an aspect of the present invention; Fig. 7(A), Fig 7(B) and Fig. 7(C) show internal plan, end plan and perspective views of a check valve for use in an aspect of the present invention; Fig. 8(A) and Fig. 8(B) show a side plan and an internal cross section of a check valve for use in an aspect of the present invention; Fig. 9 schematically shows an alternative apparatus for disposing of well fluid, again with a spaced pair of burner heads with burner nozzles, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring first to Fig. 1, a flaring apparatus 1 for disposing of well fluid according to the present disclosure is shown. The apparatus 1 comprises a storage tank 24 containing well fluid. Usually the storage tank 24 contains oil such as crude oil, or separated parts thereof. Although oil is referred to as the well fluid throughout this application, it will be understood that other well fluids are also intended to be disposed of using the flaring apparatus of the present invention. The oil in the storage tank 24 in this illustrative example has been extracted and undergone a separation process in a separator (not shown). The storage tank 24 is configured to supply oil to a pump 10. As can be seen in Fig. 1, the pump 10 is in fluid communication with a burner nozzle 12. The burner nozzle 12 is open to the atmosphere and is configured to flare the oil. The pump will be at least one transfer or delivery pump 10. Fig. 1 shows three such pumps although more or less pumps may be provided in other deployments. Fig. 2 schematically depicts a single pump 10. The pump 10 is configured to receive oil from the vertical storage tank 24 through a flow path A. The storage tank 24 can be vertically configured (with its central axis mounted vertically). The oil is under pressure as it enters the pump 10 from the head of the storage tank 24. In some cases - indeed in most installations, the oil also has residual pressure from the well. However, these combined pressures are unlikely to be enough to vaporise or spray the oil out of a burner nozzle in a manner for achieving a desirable flaring process. The at least one pump 10 thus further pressurises the oil for providing it to the burner nozzle 12 at a more suitable pressure for such spraying or vaporisation from the burner nozzle 12. In a typical configuration the pump 10 is configured to pressurise the oil to a target pressure of about 13700 kPa (2000 PSIG), and typically of between 11000 and 15000 kPa. The flaring apparatus 1 utilises energy (usually potential or kinetic energy) that the oil already has from any one or two of, or each of, a) the well, b) the separator, and c) the storage tank 24, and the pump 10 then increases the pressure in the oil to the target pressure. The pressurised oil is then provided to the burner nozzle 12 through path B at at least the desired pressure for acceptable flaring. With this configuration, the flaring apparatus 1 does not require a diesel driven air compressor for mixing pressurised air with the oil at the burner nozzle 12 when flaring the oil because the oil is provided to the burner nozzle 12 already at a suitable pressure for flaring. The pumps 10 in this example are transfer pumps 10 suitable for providing a total dynamic head (TDH) of up to 4,500 m. The pump 10 is suitable for providing a maximum flow rate of 3,000 m3 / hr of oil. The operating temperature of this pump 10 is preferably between -130°C and 340°C. As will be understood from Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, in some embodiments the pumps 10 are provided in parallel. In the example of Figure 3, the pumps 10 are heavy duty, single stage, integrally geared process pumps. They may be centrifugal pumps. In an embodiment, the pumps 10 are integrally gear-driven centrifugal pumps. In some embodiments the pump 10 comprise a modular design with an independent gear box. However any suitable high pressure oil pump can be used. An example of a suitable pump 10 is shown in Fig. 4 - a heavy duty, single stage, integrally geared process pump by Sundyne, such as an OH6 Type pump. Such pumps may be API610 compliant. As shown in Fig. 4, the pump 10 has an impeller 26, a motor driven shaft 28 and gears 38 in a housing 30. The housing 30 has an input port 32 and an output port 34. The shaft 28 is suitable for being driven by an electric motor (not shown). A typical electric motor for this pump would provide a power output of up to 150 kW (200 HP). Other pumps, or multiple smaller pumps could achieve a similar effect. The present invention, though directly pumping the oil, provides a flaring apparatus 1 that provides reduced emissions in contrast to existing systems which require diesel driven air compressors for mixing pressurised air into the oil, and thus increased fluid flow volumes (air plus oil, rather than just oil). The pump 10 has a robust shaft 28 and gear 38 design to ensure vibration and noise are reduced while improving reliability and increasing operating life. The oil is conveyed from pump 10 through a delivery pipe 18 to the burner nozzle 12. The delivery pipe may be 3 to 4 inch diameter (c. 7.5 to 10 cm) carbon steel piping. Such piping may be standard piping for the flaring industry and thus does not have to be modified in order to use the direct oil pumping of the present invention. In other words, the oil exiting the pump 10 may be conveyed from the pump 10 to the burner nozzle 12 using known infrastructure. Thus, existing systems can be retrofitted with the direct oil pumping of the present invention to provide the advantages discussed herein. This also negates the need for additional materials and expertise in the design of the piping, and allows the claimed invention to be deployed in many pre-existing sites, for example both in on-shore and off-shore locations. Fig. 5 shows a burner head 14. The burner head 14 has a plurality of burner nozzles 12 for flaring oil. The burner nozzles 12 may each have an ignitor (not shown), or a single (or more than one) ignitor may be provided for each burner head 14. Each burner nozzle 12 may be provided with a fuel, for example butane or propane, which is mixed with the well fluid and ignited by the ignition means. The velocity of the well fluid as it exits the burner nozzle 12 allows the fuel and well fluid to sufficiently mix to ignite. The specific configuration of the ignitor and fuel supply can be of any configuration known in the prior art for spraying or vaporising oils at these target flow rates or pressures. In some embodiments a propane rack is provided proximate to the burner head 14. As will be apparent from Fig. 5 the burner head 14 has a plurality of burner nozzles 12. In some embodiments the burner head has twelve burner nozzles 12. In some embodiments, each burner nozzle 12 is capable of flaring 159 m3 / day of oil (1000 barrels of oil per day). A burner head 14 comprising twelve burner nozzles 12 thus has a capacity of 1980 m3 / day (12,000 barrels of oil per day). The present invention encompasses burner nozzles with higher or lower flowrate capabilities, for example from 100 m3 / day to 200 m3 / day. The size, number and spacing of the burner nozzles 12 can be configured to the well requirements, or may be adjustable by adding or activating fewer or more burner nozzles, or by using different burner nozzle flow capacities and the overall capacity is determined by the requirements of the well. To enable adequate combustion of the oil the pressure of the oil supplied to the burner nozzle 12 is preferably at at least 12400 kPa (1800 PSIG). The mixing of the fuel and well fluid in the sprayed or vaporised mixture upon exiting the or each burner nozzle 12 is achieved by the resulting velocity of the exiting well fluid due to its pressure and the burner nozzle’s outflow capacity and design. Suitable exit characteristics are important for minimising smoke production, thereby reducing the amount of environmentally toxic emissions from the flaring operation. An advantage of the present invention is provided by a check valve 16 positioned between the pump 10 and the burner nozzle 12. As can be seen in Fig. 6, the check valve 16 in this embodiment is positioned proximate to the burner nozzle 12. Examples of suitable check valves 16 are shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8-for example as produced by MHA Zentgraf. In some embodiments the check valves 16 are fitted in the burner head 14, as shown schematically in Figure 6. These check valves 16 are pressure operated. They are each configured such that it will only open when a predetermined pressure has been reached. The well fluid is conveyed from the pump 10 to the burner nozzle 12 via the check valve 16. The or each check valve 16 is suitable for fluids such as those that need flaring (for example with a spissitude of 880 Kg / m3 and a kinematic viscosity of 35mm2 / s, albeit also for thicker / more viscous or thinner / less viscous fluids in some embodiments). These check valve 16 typically consists of a valve body with an inlet and an outlet port, and inside, a moveable poppet valve 42 is controlled by spring pressure. The valve is normally closed, opening when the well fluid pressure is greater than the spring force (also known as the “crack pressure” or the “release pressure”). The check valve thus allows the well fluid to flow in only one direction, and only when a target or predetermined pressure is achieved. When reverse flow attempts to enter though the outlet, the poppet instead closes and backflow through the valve is stopped. Advantageously, the check valve ensures hydraulic fluid flow occurs in only one direction, eliminating potential damage from back pressure, and also isolating sections of the system or system components in the event of a flashback. These check valves 16 will typically be for flow capacities of up to about 40 m3 / h (175 gallons per minute (gpm)). An arrangement where each burner nozzle 12 has a check valve 16 may allow the flare to be tailored to an amount of well fluid required to be flared. For example, in some embodiments each burner head 14 comprises at least twelve burner nozzles 12 and each burner nozzle 12 has an associated check valve 16. If each check valve has a slightly different crack pressure, the check valves will open when each one’s crack pressure is achieved, thus allowing the requisite number to open dependent upon the flow rate that the pump(s) can maintain, given the supply pressure of the well fluid to the pump(s). In some embodiments the or each check valve 16 is made of stainless steel. In some embodiments the or each check valve 16 is formed from stainless steel, steel, brass or a combination thereof. In some embodiments the or each check valve 16 has a diameter of between 0.3175 cm (1 / 8”) and 6.35 cm (2 1 / 2”). In some embodiments the or each check valve 16 has is suitable for connection with one of a DIN ISO 228 female thread, a ANSI B1.20.1 NPT female thread or a SAE J 514 1SO / DIS 11926-1 female thread. As shown in Fig. 8, in some embodiments the or each check valve 16 comprises a body 48, a poppet valve 42, a holder 46, a spring 44 and a sieger ring, circlip or retaining ring 50. In some embodiments the body 48, the poppet valve 42 and the holder 46 are formed from AISI316 stainless steel. In some embodiments the spring 44 and the seiger ring, circlip or retaining ring 50 are formed from EN10270-3 stainless steel. In some embodiments the working pressure (maximum pressure rating) of the check valve 16 is between 35000 kPa (350 BAR) and 50000 kPa (500 BAR). In some embodiments the or each check valve 16 has a crack pressure of about 12400 kPa (1800 PSIG), or between 11000 kPA and 15000 kPa. In some embodiments the check valve 16 is a soft seat in-line check valve. The check valve 16 may have an O-ring or similar elastomeric seal between the poppet and body for improved leak resistance. The seal material dictates the temperature range of the check valve 16. In some embodiments the seal is a fluorocarbon. In some embodiments the check valve 16 has a two piece construction. The two piece construction allows for a variety of end fitting combinations. In some embodiments the inlet portends are Male NPT, Male 37 degree flare, Male Face Seal, Female NPTF, Female SAE or Female British Parallel BS 2779. In some embodiments the outlet port ends are Male NPT, Female NPTF, Female SAE, Male SAE 37 degree Flare, Male Face Seal or Female British Parallel BS 2779. Usually the minimum operating temperature of the check valve 16 is -20°C. Usually the maximum operating temperature of the check valve 16 is 205°C. Referring finally to Fig. 9 there is depicted a flaring apparatus, largely similar to that of Fig. 1, in that the flaring apparatus 1 comprises three pumps 10 positioned in parallel and a delivery pipe 18. However, this embodiment also has a diverter manifold 20 so that ouput well fluid can be selectively provided to either one or both of two burner heads 14, each having check valves 16 and burner nozzles 12. In a typical configuration, the burner head 14 is supported on a long boom (also known as a burner boom) 40, which ensures that the burner nozzles 12 are maintained at safe distances from the working space on the rig or oil platform (not shown). The burner boom 40 on a typical rig is about 90ft (c. 27.5m) long. In some embodiments the burner boom 40 may be shorter, for example about 60ft (c. 18m) long. Burner booms 40 can typically support a total mass of 4200 kg to 5900 kg. In some embodiments a rig or oil platform has two (or more) burner booms 40, and as shown schematically in Fig. 9, each can have a burner head 14 comprising at least one burner nozzle 12, and its own delivery pipe 18 extending from the optional diverter manifold 20. As discussed above, each of the two burner booms 40 may support multiple burner nozzles, for example at least twelve burner nozzles 12. Two burner booms 40 are preferred to be provided to overcome issues due to changing wind directions. Each of the two burner booms 40 can be positioned at opposite sides of the rig, or oil / drilling platform and the flow to the burner heads 14 can selectively controlled for example by the diverter manifold 20 (or by having separate pumps and delivery pipes for each burner boom), so that the pressurised oil can be diverted to the downwind boom 40, e.g. using a diverter manifold 20. In use, well fluid in the illustrated examples is supplied to the three parallel pumps 10 where it is pressurised to a pressure of at least 12400 kPa (1800 PSIG). The oil is conveyed under pressure via the delivery pipes 18 to one or both burner heads 14. The pressurised oil passes through the check valves 16 because it is at a pressure which exceeds the crack pressure of the check valves 16. The pressurised oil is expelled through the burner nozzle 12 (either before or after it is optionally mixed with a fuel). The fine atomisation from the nozzle will mix with the surrounding atmospheric air. The ignitor (not shown) ignites the well fluid or mixture and the well fluid is thus then flared (burnt). The ignitor may be a standard ignitor suitable for such purposes. The present invention and the advantages provided thereby, have been described above purely by way of example. Modifications in detail may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A flaring apparatus for disposing of well fluid comprising:a pump and at least one burner nozzle;wherein the pump is configured to receive well fluid from a well fluid source and to pump the well fluid to the burner nozzle;the pump is configured to pressurise the well fluid;the flaring apparatus further comprises a delivery path for conveying the pressurised well fluid to the burner nozzle; andthe pressurised well fluid is conveyed to the burner nozzle via a pressure operated check valve.

2. The flaring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the check valve is positioned between the pump and the burner nozzle.

3. The flaring apparatus of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the check valve is on the delivery path.

4. The flaring apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one burner nozzle is on a burner head of the flaring apparatus.

5. The flaring apparatus of claims 4, wherein the check valve is within the burner head.

6. The flaring apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pump is a high pressure delivery pump.

7. The flaring apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pump is configured to be electrically driven.

8. The flaring apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of pumps.

9. The flaring apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pump is configured to pump up to a maximum volumetric flow rate of 1908 m3 per day.

10. The flaring apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pump is suitable for pumping up to a pressure of 13800 kPa.

11. The flaring apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pump is driven by an electric motor with a power of about 150kW (200HP).

12. The flaring apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of burner nozzles.

13. The flaring apparatus of claim 12 wherein there are twelve burner nozzles.

14. The flaring apparatus of claim 12 or 13 comprising a plurality of pressure operated check valves, each associated with one burner nozzle.

15. The flaring apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each burner nozzle is configured to flare well fluid at a flow rate of at least 100 m3 per day,16. The flaring apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each burner nozzle is configured to flare well fluid at a flow rate of 159 m3 per day .

17. The flaring apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each burner nozzle operates at a pressure of between 11000 and 14000 kPa.

18. The flaring apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each burner nozzle operates at a pressure of 12400 kPa (1,800psig).

19. The flaring apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the crack pressure of the pressure operated check valve is between 11000 kPa and 14000 kPa.

20. The flaring apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the crack pressure of the pressure operated check valve is 12400 kPa.

21. The flaring apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein no additional air flow is required by the burner nozzle.

22. The flaring apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein there are two or more burner heads, each comprising one or more burner nozzle.

23. The flaring apparatus of claim 22 comprising a diverter manifold configured to selectively provide well fluid to one or both burner heads.

24. The flaring apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the burner nozzles, or burner heads featuring the burner nozzles, are provided on at least one burner boom.

25. The flaring apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the well fluid is one of oil, natural gas or a mixture of oil and natural gas26. A method of disposing of well fluid comprising;connecting a source of well fluid to a pump;pressurising the well fluid using the pump;conveying the well fluid from the pump to a burner nozzle for spraying or atomising well fluid as it exits the burner nozzle;wherein the well fluid is conveyed via a pressure operated check valve.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the method uses the flaring apparatus described in any of claims 1 to 25.

28. The method of claim 26 or claim 27, wherein the well fluid is pressurised by the pump to a pressure of at least 12400 kPa.17

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