Statistics from the International Energy Agency show that the natural-gas supplies steadily increased during 1990-2017 to meet the demands of expanding global population and consumerism.
[7] Following extraction, petroleum companies prefer to transport both crude oil and APG to their respective refiners for processing and distribution to consumers.
A traditional local use is to re-inject the gas for storage, and to re-pressurize the well to extend the oil production lifetime.
[11] In the United Kingdom, gas may not be flared without written consent from the UK government to prevent unnecessary waste and protect the environment.
[13] The World Bank estimates that over 150 billion cubic metres of natural gas are flared or vented annually.