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TRANSFORMING GAS LEAK DETECTION WITH INFRARED AND DIGITAL TECH
A new generation of gas detection tools is helping operators of gas distribution pipelines and processing plants meet tougher methane emissions regulations, reduce risk, and slash survey times.
A quiet revolution is reshaping the way operators detect natural gas leaks. From satellites to handheld infrared (IR) tools, a new generation of technologies is making detection faster, more precise, and far easier to manage.
While no single solution fi ts every situation, combining the right tools—satellites, drones, laser scanners, and portable IR detectors—enables a comprehensive and precise approach. The new technologies are non-invasive, easy to work with, and often deliver results in a format that can be easily stored and uploaded.
Together, these tools bring leak detection into the digital age, improving safety, compliance, and cost effi ciency while providing vast effi ciency improvements to gas network survey processes.
However, the industry is moving slowly, and legacy gas detection methods still dominate in many areas.
Gas detection – more urgent than ever
Leaking natural gas can be diffi cult to detect in urban areas. Contaminants such as car exhaust fumes, or even humidity, could trigger false alarms with some types of instruments. Still, operators of gas processing plants and pipelines must be able to
detect leaking gas to protect workers and the public from harm, prevent loss, and reduce environmental impact.
The issue has taken on new urgency due to methane’s high global warming potential—80 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 20- year period. As a result, governments are tightening regulations.
The EU Methane Regulation (2024/1787), which came into force in the second half of 2024, is setting a new global benchmark. This ambitious legislation requires energy gas producers to signifi cantly cut methane emissions, not just within the EU but across the entire global supply chain, if the product is bound for the European market. Several U.S. states have introduced similar rules, making leak detection not just best practice but a legal requirement.
Enter infrared and laser detection
Traditional leak detection methods rely on chemical reactions. Flame ionization detectors (FID), for instance, burn gas and measure the resulting ionized particles. While accurate, these tools are heavy and cumbersome. Semiconductor sensors tend to be lighter and fast but less reliable and repeatable over time. They can also take a long time to reset after a larger gas exposure.
Modern IR absorption technology sidesteps chemical reactions entirely. It measures the specifi c wavelengths of light absorbed by gas molecules, enabling non-contact detection and faster results.
Most laser-based instruments in the market are intended for remote scanning of areas to detect the presence of gas, while handheld IR detectors are used for pinpointing the exact location and quantifi cation of leaks or emission rates. Satellites and drones can extend the coverage to entire regions or to isolated areas, enabling a scalable detection strategy.
Precision at ground level
To confi rm and locate leaks, it is necessary to get down to ground level with a hand-held IR instrument.
Infrared instruments for work at close range analyze samples from the atmosphere in a chamber inside the instrument.
An assortment of attachments, similar to those used with traditional close-range detectors, has been developed to help pinpoint the location of leaks using an IR instrument, such as probes for getting into cavities and corners. For inspecting underground gas lines, a small trolley with an air-trapping mat can be pushed along the pipeline route above ground.
Once gas has been detected, it needs to be analyzed to determine whether it is from a pipeline leak or just naturally occurring methane, also known as swamp gas. Both swamp gas and natural gas contain methane. But natural gas also has
Infrared gas detection instruments can be used in explosive environments without problems. Photo by Intero - The Sniffers
Data from the gas detection survey is uploaded in seconds, using a Bluetooth connection. Photo by Intero - The Sniffers
Flame ionization detection is still a popular technology, but its use is shrinking. Photo by Southern Cross
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