Monitoring network for methane emissions

Methane (CH4) is the second most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide (CO2). Human activity related radiative forcing by methane accounts for about half of that caused by CO2. In the U.S., the largest industrial source of CH4 is oil and gas systems. Fugitive sources are often identified as potentially large sources of CH4 emissions; however, multiple measurement challenges inhibit more complete understanding of methane emissions. New measurement technologies that address these challenges and provide continuous quantitative CH4 emission rates are needed to increase the number of measurement data points available across multiple locations and source types to improve characterization of methane emissions. Mesa Photonics proposes to develop a rugged, sensitive, and selective optical methane monitoring technology. The compact, lightweight and low-power instrument will be designed specifically to target the primary EPA application of continuous monitoring of methane emissions under harsh conditions over oil and natural gas systems. Multiple sensors will be networked, and methane emission rates will be measured from concentration gradients across the network and possibly from adding wind speed data. The methane monitoring network will be capable of long-term unattended operation. Our approach has important advantages over existing methods for continuous methane monitoring such as exceptional ruggedness of the CH4 monitoring unit, high dynamic range, reduced calibration requirements, self-diagnostic capability and a relatively low price tag. The low power draw will allow battery and solar powered operation. The major commercial application of the proposed technology is detection and quantifying emissions of natural gas in oil and gas industry. Mesa Photonics will manufacture the methane monitors as an OEM supplier to one or more leak detector and repair (LDAR) service companies serving the U.S. oil and gas industry. The objectives of the Phase I study are to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed spectroscopic approach to sensitive and selective methane monitoring, evaluate the calibration requirements, demonstrate networking of multiple methane monitors and outline the optical and mechanical layout of the Phase II prototype CH4 monitor unit. Successful completion of the Phase I project will provide the critical design information needed to build a network of compact rugged continuous methane monitors for evaluation and testing in Phase II and commercialization in Phase III.