White Paper: Reducing methane emissions: Implementing data science informed operation and maintenance work practices using continuous monitoring technology (abstract)

Continuous monitoring technologies allow operators to implement novel operation and maintenance work practices to efficiently respond to methane emissions.

Authors: Kathleen Jenkins, Carol A Brereton, Alex MacGregor, Andrew Walsh, Nick Goodman, Qube Technologies, Birch Resources

This paper was prepared for presentation at the Unconventional Resources Technology Conference held in Denver, Colorado, USA, 13-15 June 2023.

Paper Number: SPE-3866061

Abstract:

Diverse methods are used by oil and gas operators for methane leak detection and repair (LDAR). Deploying continuous monitoring point sensor technologies to an oil and gas facility allows operators to implement novel operation and maintenance work practices to efficiently respond to methane emissions.

We examine how data science driven work practices can result in substantial reduction in methane emissions compared to other LDAR methods. Historically, LDAR inspections have been performed by optical gas imaging cameras and other handheld instruments. These inspections are scheduled on a monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual basis which can result in intermittent or other short duration methane emissions being undetected between scheduled inspections.

New technologies such as continuous monitoring (CM) systems have enabled oil and gas operators to continually monitor for methane emissions. Raw data collected by CM systems is of limited utility. By applying a proprietary data science algorithm, utilizing a plume dispersion model, to the continuously acquired data, information is available to the operator identifying the piece of equipment from which emissions originate and quantifying the volume and rate of the emission events.

Once emission events are quantified and localized to various pieces of equipment, alerts are generated for emissions that exceed a threshold. A privately held Permian-basin operator deployed CM devices to a subset of the company’s central facilities.

In response to alerts generated from the CM system, the operator was able to improve operational and maintenance work practices, reducing the number of days to identify methane emissions, perform a follow-up inspection, and make repairs or adjust process set points.

Copyright 2023, Unconventional Resources Technology Conference (URTeC) DOI 10.15530/urtec-2023-3866061

To access the complete paper, please contact Qube Technologies. This paper is also available for purchase at OnePetro.org.