MONITORING & METERING
driving advances to open up new opportunities and enable end users to use their devices in ways they haven’t considered before. Through advanced gas detection deployed at both
local and national levels, it is possible to not only detect leaks as they occur, but they can also provide more accurate data to inform climate policy. While satellite infrared imaging paints a clear picture of methane emissions, that picture is incomplete. Infrared energy can be disrupted by water, so offshore leaks or leaks that occur in humid areas can often go undetected. This can be overcome by using greater numbers of small form factor devices at a hyper-local level – something that is now viable thanks to advances in lens and coating technology lowering the cost of sensing devices. More widespread, localised methane sensors across pipelines, storage facilities, and transport hubs can help grow humanity’s understanding of methane emissions and inform lawmakers of the best course of action. It can also help oil and gas companies both comply with tightening regulations and identify inefficiencies throughout their operations. A leaking biogas pipeline that goes undetected for weeks – or longer, with some minor leaks potentially going undetected for years – comes with a significant financial cost. A Stanford University-led study of the Permian Basin in New Mexico – one of the world’s richest oil and gas-producing regions – revealed that around 9% of all methane produced was leaked into the atmosphere[4]
. Should this pattern be repeated at other sites, the cost of this wasted
gas will be immense. And the costs are not limited to oil and gas
infrastructure. A 2022 study revealed that, between 2010-2021, gas leaks across the US directly resulted in more than $4bn in damage and emergency services costs, and killed 122 people[5]
. This study
also found that a gas pipeline incident occurs somewhere in the US roughly every 40 hours on average. If these events could be detected and seized upon as soon as they occur, the industry could protect its infrastructure and workers – and the general public. Next to these almost
incalculable costs, an investment in enhanced infrastructure monitoring solutions can quickly pay for itself by preventing expensive losses. As we move closer to the climate tipping
point, the need to develop a clear, measurable strategy on methane only grows. This is simply
Methane’s molecular structure means it traps infrared radiation
impossible without having a solid foundation of actionable, up-to-date or real-time data giving researchers, governments, and businesses a complete picture of both anthropogenic and natural methane emissions, at both a macro and micro level. They say that knowledge
is power, but nowhere is this more true than in the fight against climate change. Taking rapid, firm action to stem methane leaks is vital – but that action needs to be informed by fact. The facts about the oil and gas industry’s methane leaks are all out there – we just need the key to access them. Laser
absorption spectroscopy has given us this key – it now falls to the industry to use it.
Umicore Coatings Service
eom.umicore.com
[1]
https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/causes-effects-climate-change [2]
[3] [4]
https://www.iea.org/news/new-iea-report-highlights-the-need-and-means-for-the-oil-and-gas- industry-to-drastically-cut-emissions-from-its-operations
https://www.iea.org/commentaries/the-case-for-regulating-downstream-methane-emissions-from- oil-and-gas
https://news.stanford.edu/2022/03/24/methane-leaks-much-worse-estimates-fix-available/ [5]
https://environmentamerica.org/center/resources/methane-gas-leaks-2/
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