How to Evaluate a Methane Detection Partner

Summary

Choosing the right methane detection partner is a high-stakes decision. Your emissions program depends on reliable data, and not every vendor can deliver what your operations or compliance teams truly need. With so many options (and rising regulatory pressure) it’s worth stepping back to evaluate your next partner with care.

In this blog, we’ll walk through how to evaluate a methane detection partner, and provide a to-do list to guide your process from initial research to final selection. Whether you’re building a new program or switching vendors, this guide will help you make the most informed decision possible.

Key Takeaways

• Program success and reaching your emissions reduction goals depend on choosing a vendor with detection capabilities that meet your needs
• Detailed, site-specific results enable efficient field deployment
• Quantification along with accurate spatial accuracy (such as to the equipment-level) allows LDAR repair crews to prioritize leaks and go straight to the source for repair
• Long-term strategic planning is dependent on data and analytics that provide insights into emission trends, sources, and timing
• Structured data supports compliance, strategy, and executive reporting
• A thorough, checklist-based evaluation process can prevent downstream disruption
• Vendor fit should be assessed across technical, operational, and organizational lines
  
  

Why Does Your Detection Partner Choice Matter?

Your methane detection partner isn’t just a vendor. They’re an extension of your emissions management strategy. If your provider underperforms, it’s your field crews, your compliance reports, and your bottom line that bear the impact. And if you're switching to a new methane detection provider, it’s your opportunity to upgrade to enhance efficiency and ease for your teams.

Selecting a partner should go beyond price or contract terms. You need someone who can meet regulatory expectations, deliver emissions data you can act on, and support you through your entire emissions reduction journey.

What Capabilities Should You Look For?

The evaluation process starts with one core question: What can this partner actually do?

You’ll want to dig into detection sensitivity, accuracy, quantification, data delivery timelines, customer service expectations, and overall flexibility. A strong provider should meet today’s needs and scale with your program as it evolves.

Here are key questions to ask potential emissions detection providers:

1. What is the emission rate detection sensitivity and probability of detection of your technology? What peer-reviewed research demonstrates this?
2. Does your technology offer the ability to flag emission events as persistent or intermittent?
3. Does your technology offer quantification of emission rates?
4. How accurately does your technology pinpoint methane emission sources?
5. How many sites per day, miles of pipeline, or square miles per day does your technology scan?
6. When and how will I receive my data, and what compliance frameworks can you align with?
7. Do you offer short-notice availability for one-off scans, like investigating a suspected large emitter or verifying a fix for audit documentation.

The right partner delivers insight, not just information. They should deliver confidence. Ask the tough questions, demand transparent answers, and choose a provider that grows with your program. When accuracy and reliability matter, the difference is in the details.

What Does Responsive, High-Quality Service Look Like?

The best providers don’t just deliver data. They learn your goals, integrate into your workflows, and support your long-term emissions reduction strategy.

Look for vendors who:

• Ask about your operational and compliance objectives
• Help design a scan strategy that fits those goals
• Turn results around quickly
• Talk you through findings and next steps
• Use consistent methodologies for repeat scans for easy benchmarking
• Flex as your organization grows or compliance obligations shift

What Makes for a Good Operational Fit?

It’s one thing to have good tech and impressive customer service, but you also need a partner that delivers data in a way that fits your internal processes, platforms, and team structure.

Operational alignment means:

• Delivering data in the formats your teams need
• Using delivery methods that your teams prefer
• Building a dataset that can serve multiple stakeholders (field teams, analysts, execs, and more)
• Providing analytics that guide not only short-term LDAR, but strategic operational improvements and upgrades over the long term using insights into leak sources, locations, and timing
• Being available for check-ins and consultations

You should also expect data that supports frictionless methane monitoring, minimizes windshield time, simplifies compliance, and speeds up field response.

What Should Your Evaluation Process Look Like?

Here’s a quick checklist that reflects how we’ve seen operators successfully evaluate potential providers:

Ready to Start the Process?

If you’re in the market for a new emissions detection partner, we hope this helps you start your search more confidently. And we hope you’ll include us in your evaluation. 

At Bridger Photonics, we’ve supported teams on multiple continents across the industry with scalable, reliable methane detection that fits real operational needs. Let’s talk about what you’re looking for. We’d love to show you how we can help.