Detection of methane fugitive emissions using drones

Abstract

Detecting methane fugitive emissions from infrastructures is an important task for the oil and gas industry safety and asset management. The current methodology relies on driving surveys using vehicles equipped with different sensors. However, this approach has limitations due to the technical characteristics of the commercially available methane detectors and the specific difficulty for a vehicle to safely and reliably cover certain terrains. Additionally, for an extended asset network like pipelines, the gathering of data relies on long distance driving and sometimes in remote areas. Terra Sana Consultants Pty Ltd (TSC) developed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or drone, mounted with a laser sensor able to detect surface fugitive emissions associated with oil and gas operations and clearly geo-reference methane emission. This technology enables a more targeted risk assessment approach with the objectives to improve the emission flux calculations across the scale of a typical oil and gas site thus reducing uncertainty and to thereby plan meaningful remediation actions.