Towards smart methane emissions sensing: deployment optimization of multiscale sensing methods from the upstream oil and gas sector.

Abstract

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas. Atmospheric concentrations of methane have more than doubled since pre-industrial times. The oil and gas (O&G) sector is a significant contributor to anthropogenic methane emissions. Reducing methane emissions from O&G sector has been internationally recognized as an effective solution to slow the global warming. In the past five years, several jurisdictions have introduced regulations to reduce methane emissions. To support reduction through measurement, new technologies have been widely tested and deployed to detect and measure methane, including satellite systems, aircraft systems, vehicle systems, drones, fixed sensors, optical gas imaging (OGI) cameras, and handheld instruments. However, guidance on deploying these technologies effectively and efficiently to find and reduce emissions is lacking. This thesis aims to address this issue by investigating limitations and strategies to optimize technology deployment with satellites, vehicle systems, and OGI cameras. For passive satellites, results indicate global variations of observational coverage associated with climate zones and solar zenith angle. Satellites are effective monitoring tools of O&G emissions in drylands of mid- and low latitudes but are far less effective over the tropics and at high latitudes. Other technologies must be used to fill the gaps. For vehicle systems, a method was developed and tested to optimize their deployment to detect and measure emissions from public roads. The method predicts the location on a public road where a vehicle system is most likely to intersect and therefore detect and quantify a methane plume from a site upwind. Testing indicates the method can be helpful for planning driving routes and regional monitoring campaigns to increase the probability of intersecting plumes. For OGI cameras – the regulatory standard for identifying leaking components at O&G sites – a co-operative leak inspection program was proposed and evaluated as a strategy to increase efficiency and lower cost. To test this concept, a simulation model was developed and showed that efficiency gains and costs savings are possible compared to independent inspection programs implemented by each duty holder, and that regions with a large diversity of O&G site duty holders are optimal. In summary, this thesis demonstrates where and how to deploy select technologies effectively and efficiently to measure methane emissions from the O&G sector.