What Is a Portable Flare and How Does It Work?
A portable flare, also called a trailer-mounted or mobile flare, is a self-contained flare stack built on a trailer so it can be hauled to a site, set up, and burning waste gas in a short window, then moved to the next job.
It works like a permanent flare: gas is routed up the stack to a tip where a continuously burning pilot ignites it for safe, clean combustion. The difference is mobility. Because the stack, pilot, ignition, flame arrestors, and controls all travel together on one trailer, a portable flare needs no foundation and no permanent install, which is what makes it the practical choice for temporary, remote, or emergency work.
Tell us your site and gas data and we will confirm the right mobile flare.
Applications and Use Cases
Portable flares earn their keep anywhere you need to burn gas safely without a permanent stack. Common uses include:
Drilling and Well Testing
Flowback, completions, and flaring during well testing and production operations where temporary combustion is required.
Pipeline Maintenance
Blowdowns, tie-ins, and pigging operations that require safe combustion of released gas at a temporary site.
Plant Turnarounds
Shutdowns, commissioning, and short-duration plant operations where a portable flare provides rapid, compliant relief.
Tank Battery Vapor Control
Temporary vapor control and combustion during tank battery operations in remote or short-term field settings.
Emergency and Upset Venting
Rapid response when process conditions direct excess gas to a flare and no permanent unit is on site.
Remote and Short-Duration Sites
Locations where a permanent flare is not feasible, cost-effective, or justified for the project duration.
If your application is not listed, tell us the scenario and our engineers will confirm whether a portable flare fits. See our markets page for more.
Rent or Buy: Portable Flares In Stock and Ready to Deploy
Most portable flare work is time-sensitive, so Hero keeps trailer-mounted units in stock for fast turnaround. You can rent a portable flare for a short job like a turnaround or well test, or buy one outright for recurring field work.
Because each unit ships complete on its trailer with no foundation required, mobilization is quick: we prepare the unit, ship it, and support installation and commissioning at your site. If an outage or upset could send gas to a flare on short notice, ask us about a rental contingency plan so a unit is lined up before you need it.
See our rentals page or send your timeline and we will confirm current stock.
What’s Included in a Hero Portable Flare
Every Hero portable flare ships as a complete package on a rugged trailer, engineered for transport and quick deployment:
Flare Stack
Heights from 13 to 60 feet to match your dispersion, safety, and site space requirements.
Pilot and Ignition System
Reliable field lighting for safe and consistent operation in any conditions.
Flame Arrestors
For safe operation in all field conditions, protecting against flashback and unintended ignition.
Integrated Control Panel
For monitoring and control during operation, keeping the unit running safely and within spec.
Heavy-Duty Trailer
Built to withstand harsh weather and rugged terrain for reliable field deployment.
Smokeless tip options, including sonic tips, are available when your job requires a clean, smokeless flame. Send your flow and gas data and we will configure the unit.
Compliance and Destruction Efficiency
A portable flare still has to burn clean and stay legal. Hero portable flares are fully EPA compliant and proven to achieve 98% destruction efficiency, so your temporary or mobile flaring meets the same performance expectations as a permanent unit.
The pilot, ignition, and flame-arrestor package keeps combustion safe and reliable in field conditions. We can provide compliance wording and documentation for your project file. For more on the current rules, see our OOOOb/c overview, then contact us for the records you need.
Ready to Get Started?
Spec Your Portable Flare System Today
Our engineers size every portable flare to your flow rate, pressure, and rental or purchase timeline. Get a detailed quote in 24 hours.
Related Flare Systems & Resources
Explore other Hero flare configurations or browse the full product line to find the right match for your application.
Sonic Flares
High-pressure sonic tips for efficient smokeless flaring at refineries and gas plants.
Air Assist Flares
Motor-driven blower assist for smokeless combustion without steam or high-pressure gas.
Gas-Assist Flares
Smokeless burning where high-pressure assist gas is available on-site.
Emergency & Utility Flares
Reliable destruction for relief and upset events. Designed for peak emergency flow rates.
Low-Flow Flares
Clean combustion for small and intermittent vent streams with minimal assist requirements.
Datasheets Library
Download model spec sheets and capacity tables for all Hero flare configurations.
What Makes a High-Quality Portable Flare System
Portable and rental flare systems must achieve the same DRE performance as permanent installations while tolerating repeated transport, installation, and decommissioning cycles. Five quality indicators separate portable flares that maintain compliant performance across deployments from equipment that degrades quickly in field conditions.
Structural design rated for trailer transport and repeated assembly. Portable flare stacks assembled and disassembled multiple times per year require bolted stack sections with precision-machined flanges and hardened fasteners. Sections that rely on welded joints for alignment — or that use standard hex bolts in flange connections subject to thermal cycling — develop leaks and misalignment after several deployments.
Ignition system designed for field startup without external power. Many portable flare deployment sites lack reliable grid power. High-quality rental flare systems include self-contained propane-fueled pilots with battery-powered electronic igniters that allow startup without a generator. Systems dependent on 120V or 240V grid power limit deployment flexibility.
Quick-connect gas connections with pressure-rated fittings. Rental flares that use threaded NPT connections at the gas inlet require tools and sealing compound for each connection. Systems designed with hammer-union or cam-lock quick-connect inlets reduce rig-up time from hours to minutes and eliminate the most common field leak point at the inlet connection.
Skid base designed for uneven terrain and crane-lift rated. Production sites rarely have level, prepared pads for temporary equipment. Portable flare skids with adjustable leveling legs and a crane-lift rated lifting lug allow deployment on uneven wellsite terrain and safe crane pick at limited-access locations.
Manufacturer-provided mobilization and support. Rental equipment value depends on the manufacturer’s ability to mobilize equipment quickly and provide field support if performance issues arise. Confirm the rental provider’s average mobilization time from notice to on-site, and whether the provider has field service personnel in the deployment region rather than dispatching from a central location.
Hero Process Solutions’ rental flare program includes portable air-assist flares, low-flow combustors, and vapor recovery units available for rapid deployment across the Permian Basin, Mid-Continent, Appalachia, and Rocky Mountain regions. Contact (918) 941-2166 for mobilization timelines and availability.
What Makes a High-Quality Portable Flare System
Portable and rental flare systems must achieve the same DRE performance as permanent installations while tolerating repeated transport, installation, and decommissioning cycles. Five quality indicators separate portable flares that maintain compliant performance across deployments from equipment that degrades quickly in field conditions.
Structural design rated for trailer transport and repeated assembly. Portable flare stacks assembled and disassembled multiple times per year require bolted stack sections with precision-machined flanges and hardened fasteners. Sections that rely on welded joints for alignment — or that use standard hex bolts in flange connections subject to thermal cycling — develop leaks and misalignment after several deployments.
Ignition system designed for field startup without external power. Many portable flare deployment sites lack reliable grid power. High-quality rental flare systems include self-contained propane-fueled pilots with battery-powered electronic igniters that allow startup without a generator. Systems dependent on 120V or 240V grid power limit deployment flexibility.
Quick-connect gas connections with pressure-rated fittings. Rental flares that use threaded NPT connections at the gas inlet require tools and sealing compound for each connection. Systems designed with hammer-union or cam-lock quick-connect inlets reduce rig-up time from hours to minutes and eliminate the most common field leak point at the inlet connection.
Skid base designed for uneven terrain and crane-lift rated. Production sites rarely have level, prepared pads for temporary equipment. Portable flare skids with adjustable leveling legs and a crane-lift rated lifting lug allow deployment on uneven wellsite terrain and safe crane pick at limited-access locations.
Manufacturer-provided mobilization and support. Rental equipment value depends on the manufacturer’s ability to mobilize equipment quickly and provide field support if performance issues arise. Confirm the rental provider’s average mobilization time from notice to on-site, and whether the provider has field service personnel in the deployment region rather than dispatching from a central location.
Hero Process Solutions’ rental flare program includes portable air-assist flares, low-flow combustors, and vapor recovery units available for rapid deployment across the Permian Basin, Mid-Continent, Appalachia, and Rocky Mountain regions. Contact (918) 941-2166 for mobilization timelines and availability.
Why Engineers Choose Hero Process Solutions
| What You Need | How Hero Process Solutions Delivers It |
|---|---|
| 98% DRE documentation for permit compliance | In-house combustion engineers provide site-specific performance certifications backed by tip-specific test data |
| Equipment on-site before the compliance deadline | Rental fleet deployable in 24 to 72 hours across the Permian Basin, Mid-Continent, Appalachia, and Rockies |
| Manufacturer that designs its own tips | All combustion tips designed, fabricated, and tested at Hero Process Solutions’ Kellyville, Oklahoma facility |
| Field service when equipment needs attention | Direct HPS field technicians — not third-party contractors — cover major producing regions |
| Equipment for multiple applications | Air-assist, sonic, gas-assist, low-flow, emergency, and portable flares plus vapor combustors and VRUs from one manufacturer |
Hero Process Solutions is a US-based manufacturer and rental provider serving upstream, midstream, pipeline, and industrial clients since the company’s founding under the Hero Flare brand. Contact (918) 941-2166 or email sales@hero-ps.com to discuss your application. Engineering specifications and rental availability are provided within one business day of inquiry.