Overview of Emerging Technologies for Methane Measurement, Monitoring and Reduction in US Onshore Upstream Oil & Gas Industry
Authors: Singh Aditya 
Published: October 2023

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that is emitted during oil and gas production, transportation, and distribution activities. Globally, the oil and gas industry is one of the largest sources of methane emissions, accounting for approximately 23%. United States onshore upstream oil and gas industry accounts for approximately 30% of the country's total methane emissions estimated by US EPA. As part of 2019 Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program by EPA, it published data on methane emissions from the oil and gas industry which was reported to be at 71.1 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent (MMT CO2e) of methane. Of this total, onshore production activities accounted for 40.7 MMT CO2e of methane emissions.

Rapid adoption of emerging sensor technologies in methane detection and measurement is critical towards its mitigation and supporting a more sustainable future of our energy industry. Hence, a range of technologies have been developed in recent years such as Optical Gas Imaging (OGI), Methane Oxidation Catalysts, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), Multi Spectral Imaging etc.

Out of several now available, one promising technology for methane measurement and monitoring is optical gas imaging (OGI), which uses infrared cameras to detect and visualize methane emissions in real-time. OGI has been shown to be highly effective for identifying and quantifying fugitive methane emissions from equipment's such as valves, flanges, and connectors. Another promising area of technological development that has happened in recent years is the use of drones, aircrafts and satellites for methane detection and monitoring. These equipped with different types of sensors can provide high-resolution methane mapping data, enabling operators to quickly identify and mitigate methane emissions from a wide range of sources.

In addition to measurement and monitoring technologies, methane reduction technologies and programs have made considerable progress in the industry. One such program is Leak detection and repair (LDAR) which was designed to systematically identify and repair leaks in equipment to minimize methane emissions. Advanced LDAR programs now incorporate emerging technologies such as OGI that can detect and geolocate emission sources, along with quantifying emissions and recording them during the LDAR surveys.

While these emerging technologies offer promising solutions for methane measurement, monitoring, and reduction in the onshore upstream oil and gas industry, challenges remain. For example, ensuring the accuracy and consistency of methane measurements can be difficult, particularly in complex industrial environments. Additionally, there may be cost, and logistical challenges associated with deploying some emerging technologies, such as drones, in the field.

Despite these challenges, ongoing research and development will be critical to improving the availability, effectiveness and cost efficiency of these technologies and ensuring their widespread adoption in the industry. These technologies not only have the high potential to effectively measure and monitor methane emissions from the industry, but also help evaluate its impact on climate change and reduce their emissions footprint in oil and gas operations.