Drone-based method recognizes great methane leafy-die good news is that many can be repaired quickly

When the wind hits an obstacle, it flows around it and creates a low pressure zone on the other side, which is referred to as the “wind guard”. This river becomes clear when you watch desert sand.

“The same happens around offshore platforms. This means that the best place to measure the entire methane emissions is not on the platform itself or very nearby, but where the wind connects again. This is often over a hundred meters away,” says Daniel Krause in sense.

Based on this understanding, the researchers have developed a new measurement strategy based on drone base, which enables it to recognize and reduce methane emissions-overnight.

The method is based on a deeper understanding of the behavior of methane and has already achieved important results.

“When the measurement method was tested on the Gjøa platform, which belongs to Vår Energi, we discovered a methane lull that corresponds to an annual emission of 100 tons,” says Krause.

The measurement method was developed by Sinde via the Lowemission Research Center.

“It no longer took a week for Vår Energi to carry out the necessary repairs and reduce their emissions by 98%. The method has great potential, and we are pleased that other operators can now use it,” says Krause. He is a research engineer in the senses and was involved in the development of the technology.

So far, it has been difficult to monitor the entire methane emissions of oil platforms, since leaks can come from different and scattered sources. The researchers have now achieved a deeper understanding of the wind conditions around platforms and found that it is possible to combine measurements from the scattered sources at one point, more than 100 meters from the platform. The measurement of emissions at a single point provides a more comprehensive understanding of the overall emissions and enables more targeted work to reduce.

The method is now freely available to all operators inside and outside of Norway. The method describes the procedure in detail so that the operators can use it.

How important is it to solve this problem and what makes this new technology so innovative?

Methan is the second largest driver of climate change according to CO₂. Although it has a much shorter lifespan in the atmosphere – 12 years compared to several centuries for CO₂ – methane emissions heat the atmosphere much faster. Today, methane is about a third of global warming, and the methane centers in the atmosphere have increased significantly in the past ten years.

For this reason, the authorities around the world are working on new laws to combat emissions, such as:

The methane regulation contains strict requirements for oil and gas production in order to report and repair leaks closely to reduce methane emissions. There is only one problem: We don't know how much methane is published.

“The biggest challenge for offshore operators is to receive frequent and precise sufficient measurements of methane emissions that provide practically applicable information – how much methane and from what sources,” says Krause.

He says that many existing measurement methods have considerable uncertainty and a limited basis for decision making. This in turn leads to fewer emission reductions. Without good reference measurements, it is difficult to understand the true extent of the emissions – and without this insight the possibility of reducing it is limited.

“After all, you cannot stop a leak that you don't know from it,” says Krause.

Combined drone and sensor technology

“The use of drones to measure the emissions of offshore platforms is nothing new. The innovation is where and how we carry out these measurements – and how we integrate them into measurements carried out directly on the platform,” says the research engineer.

As already mentioned, methane leaves from various sources can come on an offshore platform. While we can find and stop leaks by measuring certain emission sources, it is important to have a reference point – a place where the total amount of emissions can be determined. This will show us whether everyone has been recognized considerable or when everyone remains.

The researchers have therefore equipped a DJI M600 -Pro drone with a Trisonica wind sensor and a ABB LGR -HOVERGUARD -Methangas and the CO₂ sensor adapted to the drone.

“Based on our understanding of the role of the wind, we fly the drone in a tailor -made scan pattern, a so -called 'river level', in the areas where emissions collect and go through. This ensures more precise and reliable measurements,” says Krause.

The drone measurements are then compared with direct measurements from sources on the platform, both from emission sources that are already known to the operator, as well as from Krause's measures. This includes the sampling of the water produced, the measurement of gas turbine exhaust gases and the effective leak detection and repair (LDAR).

This is exactly how Krause discovered the 100-metric-to-year-anniversary on the platform of Vår Energi-Ein Leck, which was determined within a week.

The next step is to simplify these improved measurement methods through remote control or autonomous flights. The easier the measurements, the easier it can be carried out, which leads to a better understanding of emissions and a faster turnaround in reducing. Hopefully this procedure will be as easy in the future as pressing a button.