Oil & Gas Burner Management System Retrofits: Maximizing Safety and Efficiency

Melissa Esparza
Aug 14
4 min read

The New Mexico Environment Department’s (NMED) Ozone Precursor Pollutants rule (rule 20.2.50 NMAC Oil and Gas Sector – Ozone Precursor Pollutants) went into effect on August 5, 2022. The rule establishes standards for emissions of “ozone precursors,” including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) with the objective of reducing ground-level ozone. To reduce these emissions, the NMED has mandated the use of automatic Burner Management Systems on flares and combustors.

However, an often-overlooked opportunity to improve safety and operational efficiency, as well as reducing emissions, is the retrofitting of older oil and gas production equipment with modern Burner Management Systems (BMS).

The Role of Burner Management Systems in Oil & Gas

Burner Management Systems are automated safety and control solutions designed to manage the startup, operation, and shutdown of burners on fired equipment—including heater treaters, line heaters, glycol dehydrators, incinerators, and more. When properly implemented, a BMS ensures compliance with safety standards such as NFPA 86 and relevant API codes, while also minimizing downtime, enhancing combustion efficiency, and significantly reducing the risk of catastrophic events like flameouts or fuel accumulation.

Despite these benefits, many well sites still rely on outdated, manual, or partially automated burner setups. These legacy systems pose operational hazards and can result in costly shutdowns—or worse, safety incidents.

Under the Ozone Precursor Rule, an automatic BMS keeps pilot flames lit on fired equipment, preventing the release of raw methane into the atmosphere.

What the Ozone Precursor Rule Mandates, and Doesn’t

As we noted in our blog article of March 22, 2023, the Ozone Precursor Rule mandates the use of Burner Management Systems for all flares and combustors. All flares and combustors must be equipped with a Burner Management System (BMS), to eliminate the incidences of unlit pilot flares venting raw methane to the atmosphere.

The specific language of N.M. Admin. Code § 20.2.50.115 - CONTROL DEVICES AND CLOSED VENT SYSTEMS, Paragraph C(1)(b) mandates “a flare with a continuous pilot flame or an auto-igniter shall be equipped with a system to ensure the flare is operated with a flame present at all times when gas is being sent to the flare.”

Similarly, Paragraph D(1)(b) of the rule for enclosed combustion devices (ECDs) and thermal oxidizers (Tos) mandates, “The owner or operator shall equip each new ECD/TO with a continuous pilot flame or an auto-igniter upon startup. Existing ECD/TO shall be equipped with a continuous pilot flame or an auto-igniter no later than two years after the effective date of this Part.”

Although the rule does not require equipping heater-treaters and dehydrators with a BMS, it is encouraged.

In fact, as a best practice many leading operators in New Mexico are doing just that – retrofitting their heater-treaters, dehydrators, and other fired production equipment with automatic burner management systems.

The table below summarizes the applicability of the Ozone Precursor Rule to fired equipment:

Equipment Type	Regulation / Code	BMS Required?	Notes
Flares & combustors	20.2.50 NMAC (Ozone Rule)	Yes (automatic BMS)	Must support auto-ignition/re‑ignition
Heaters (≥20 MMBtu/hr) & related	20.2.50.119 NMAC	Not explicitly required	Emissions/tune-up focused
Other fired equipment (e.g. TFUs)	Encouraged under Ozone Rule	Advised	For safety, emission reduction

A Simple and Effective Upgrade – The BMS-600 from Platinum Control

The BMS-600 Burner Management System from Platinum Control was purpose-built to address these exact challenges. Designed specifically for the rugged demands of the oilfield, the BMS-600 stands out for its universal compatibility: it can be retrofitted onto virtually any type of fired equipment with the click of a switch, regardless of brand, age, or application.

This flexibility is a major differentiator in an industry where producers typically operate a wide variety of legacy equipment across different basins and sites. With the BMS-600, standardization becomes possible—field teams can install, operate, and maintain one reliable BMS platform across all fired assets.

Key Advantages of the BMS-600

Universal Fit – Works with all fired equipment types, eliminating the need for multiple BMS platforms or custom integrations, giving you The Power of ONE unit for all your equipment.
Built for Harsh Environments – Engineered for extreme conditions and remote locations typical in upstream and midstream operations.
Automatic Ignition and Re-Ignition – Provides reliable startup and automatic re-ignition on flame-out, reducing operator intervention and downtime.
Compliance and Recordkeeping – Helps meet API, OSHA, and environmental standards with built-in data logging and audit trails.
Plug-and-Play Retrofit – Compact and modular, the BMS-600 is designed for easy retrofit installation with minimal disruption to operations.

Why Retrofitting Now Makes Sense

Upgrading your burner controls isn't only about safety—it's about future-proofing operations against potential future regulations and optimizing both efficiency and safety. The Platinum Control BMS-600 helps you make your operations safer, cleaner, and more cost-effective. The cost of a BMS retrofit is marginal compared to the potential liabilities of an unsafe burner operation. Also, proactive retrofitting today avoids reactive penalties tomorrow.

Summary

For operators looking to extend the life of existing assets while improving safety and efficiency, retrofitting with an automatic burner management system is one of the smartest upgrades they can make. The BMS-600 from Platinum Control offers a reliable, universal, and rugged solution that brings any piece of fired equipment up to modern safety and performance standards.

As the industry continues to evolve, field-proven solutions like the BMS-600 ensure that even legacy assets can operate safely—and competitively—in the future.

Contact us today to learn more about the BMS-600 Burner Management System and how it can help you maximize efficiency for harnessing the full potential of your well sites.