Gas detection
SUSTAINABILITY IN GAS MANAGEMENT: DETECTION AND DIRECTION
For decades, carbon dioxide has dominated public concern and policy making the headlines as the biggest UK greenhouse gas threat. Methane, however, is now emerging as an equally urgent concern.
Though it remains in the atmosphere for less time than CO2, methane traps more than 80 times more heat over a 20-year
period. Reducing methane emissions has to be one of the biggest priorities to slow climate change.
In 2023, the UK oil and gas sector alone emitted around 145 kilotons of methane, however the bulk of this wasn’t sourced from offshore oil platforms. Instead, gas-related sources accounted for 87 percent of the total and within that, the single largest source was fugitive leaks from the gas distribution network. The result? Gas leaks were responsible for 76 percent of all methane emissions in the sector across the country. Chris Day, managing director at Tectrac explores the impact of gas leaks on businesses, the environment and the potential to cause further damage.
G
as leaks risk the environment, revenue, costs for customers and the potential of fires and explosions. Historically, leak management has been reactive, with technicians dispatched only when customers reported odours or irregularities.
However, this approach is no longer sufficient in today’s commercial and regulatory climate. Policymakers are responding with stricter rules to monitor gas wastage, most recently the European Union’s Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) programmes bans routine venting and flaring, now requiring source-level measurement and reporting. The UK, while not obliged to follow EU legislation post-Brexit, faces growing pressure to align. For UK businesses, methane management is no longer a matter of goodwill - it is becoming a commercial and environmental imperative.
Failure to adapt risks fines, the loss of contracts, reputational damage and reduced investor confidence.
PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS ACROSS THE CHAIN
The distribution network offers the greatest potential for improvement and minimising leaks. Responsible for three-quarters of total emissions, moving away from reactive leak management and into a proactive approach is essential. It is great to see that businesses are beginning to adopt mobile detection systems, which use vehicle or drone-mounted sensors to identify leaks quickly. These surveys can then be followed by targeted repairs, prioritising the highest-impact leaks without requiring costly full pipe replacements. With the Health and Safety Executive set to mandate regular mobile surveys from 2026,
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January 2026 Instrumentation Monthly
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