How Bridger Photonics’ Gas Mapping LiDAR® Delivers Emissions Measurement

Summary

Methane measurement is a foundational requirement for operators working to reduce emissions, meet rising regulatory expectations, and strengthen internal reporting. Gas Mapping LiDAR® (GML) is designed to help operators achieve clarity by detecting methane from the air, mapping plumes in high resolution, and delivering measurement-based emissions data along with vital context so teams can take action immediately while supporting long-term planning. With equipment-level detail, scalable coverage, and actionable data outputs, GML supports leak detection, repair prioritization, LDAR integration, and long-term methane reduction efforts across upstream, midstream, LNG, and distribution operations.

Key Takeaways

• GML is a laser-based system that measures methane emissions from small aircraft
• GML detects methane with industry-leading sensitivity across wide geographic areas
• Hard-to-reach infrastructure and remote sites are better supported with GML
• It provides high-resolution plume imagery tied to precise geographic coordinates
• Measurement-based emissions estimates support smarter repair prioritization and reporting
• GML captures both super-emitters and smaller leaks in the same flight
• Consistent, measurement-based data is perfectly suited for ESG and regulatory reporting
• GML helps reduce windshield time by guiding field crews directly to emission sources
• Data from GML scans integrates seamlessly with existing LDAR workflows
  
  

What Makes GML Different?

Unlike traditional ground-based methane detection, GML delivers an enterprise-wide understanding of emissions while simultaneously identifying the exact equipment causing emissions, and quantifying how much is escaping. Methane is invisible, difficult to track, and is often highly variable across assets.

GML scans utilize airborne measurements that allow operators to see more of their system at once, and obtain data that is both wide in coverage and rich in detail.

With a single flight, operators can survey long pipeline corridors, distributed well pads, remote facilities, or dense midstream hubs, all while gathering emissions information that better supports investigation, repair, and fix verification.

How Does GML Work?

GML is a laser-based system that’s tuned to a methane-absorbing wavelength. As the aircraft flies overhead, a laser is projected toward the ground. When methane is present between the aircraft and the surface, it absorbs some of that laser light. By measuring the amount of absorption, the system can identify methane concentrations, map detailed plume imagery, and quantify emission rates.

From these measurements, GML produces:

• Spatially accurate methane images  showing gas plume shape and direction
• Accurately quantified emission rates  for every individual leak
• Precise source locations  tied to specific facility equipment or pipeline coordinates

This allows operators not only to know that methane is present, but also to understand what’s driving the emission and how significant it is.

How Does Plume Mapping Streamline Decision Making?

One of the most important advantages of GML is its ability to generate methane plume imagery with high spatial resolution. Instead of guessing where a leak might be, operators can see the plume itself, mapped across their assets with the clarity needed to direct crews to the exact source and size of the problem—whether small or large. It’s the kind of visibility that turns data into decisions, and decisions into measurable emission reductions.High-resolution visualization is especially valuable when:

• Multiple potential equipment sources exist
• Crews need precise knowledge of which piece of equipment is leaking for on-site follow-up
• Infrastructure is complex, tightly spaced, dangerous, or difficult to reach
• Operators are assessing whether a leak represents a systemwide concern or an isolated issue

This level of clarity helps teams interpret data faster and direct resources where they’re needed most.

Measurement-Based Emissions Estimates

Accurate measurement is becoming increasingly important for operators, including for internal methane reduction KPIs, investor expectations, and voluntary reporting frameworks like OGMP 2.0. GML provides emissions estimates with industry-leading accuracy by combining plume concentration, plume shape, and wind information into a measurement-based rate estimate.

This supports key needs such as:

• Prioritizing larger leaks for faster remediation
• Understanding emissions trends over time
• Baselining emissions and tracking inventories and intensities
• Strengthening compliance reporting and ESG progress documentation

With accurate, defensible data from GML, operators can move beyond assumptions to prove progress, streamline decision-making, and accelerate real methane reductions.

A More Complete Picture of Methane Emissions

As methane expectations evolve, operators need tools that provide both scale and precision. GML delivers on both fronts. Bridger’s GML paired with advanced emissions analytics and intelligence solutions are safe, smart, and powerful tools for scalable emissions monitoring and reductions. Bridger’s tools help teams understand leak patterns, recurring issues, and equipment vulnerabilities across their network. It offers a clearer, more complete view of methane emissions and the most effective reduction opportunities compared to traditional methods alone.