The Essential Questions You Need to Ask Your Methane Detection Technology Provider
When evaluating technologies, the topic of emission rate detection sensitivity capabilities will likely be one of your first questions, but there’s a lot to consider.
Our team has evaluated the key factors most important to operators and their emission management programs. Use our list of questions below to help guide your conversations with emissions detection technologies about their sensitivity and other related aspects, so you can make informed decisions:
1. What is the emission rate detection sensitivity and probability of detection of your technology? What peer-reviewed research demonstrates this?
Emission rate detection sensitivity in the context of methane detection refers to the smallest methane emission rate that a technology can reliably detect. A complete detection sensitivity statement would be an emission rate paired with a probability of detection (PoD), such as 3 kilograms per hour (kg/hr) with a 90% PoD. Emission rate detection sensitivity indicates the capability of a technology to accurately detect emissions of a given size. For more on detection sensitivity check out our e-book on the topic.
It’s crucial to engage qualified researchers and third-party experts to assess the actual capabilities of a technology. There are several scientific research groups at universities in the United States and Canada that study emission detection technologies and their capabilities. A few prominent ones include the Energy and Emissions Research Lab (EERL) at Carleton University, the Methane Emissions Technology Evaluation Center (METEC) at Colorado State University, and the Energy Emissions Modeling and Data Lab (EEMDL) at the University of Texas Austin, in partnership with Colorado State University and the Colorado School of Mines. Ideally, detection sensitivity and PoD claims should be rigorously supported by peer-reviewed research produced by or in conjunction with one of these third-party academic research institutions, or another third party.
Researchers at these institutions study the performance of emissions detection technologies through either controlled releases (known releases set up intentionally for research), or better yet, blindly testing technologies in action without their knowing, called “fully-blind” testing. Be aware, however, that controlled release studies are often performed under limited or ideal conditions, and each detection technology has environmental conditions in which it performs better or worse. So, depending on the timing and conditions present in controlled release studies, the results might not represent performance in real-world conditions.
2. Does your technology offer the ability to flag emission events as persistent or intermittent?
A technology that differentiates between persistent and intermittent emissions can provide important context to a detection event. This data often helps operators determine whether or not they should expect to find a repair event corresponding to a given emission.
Persistent emissions often correspond to fugitive emissions that require repair. On the other hand, intermittent emissions can correspond to normal operating process emissions. Both are important for understanding an emissions inventory (the total emissions footprint for a given area or set of assets) and for reducing emissions, but a persistent emission often requires a repair crew, while an intermittent emission may potentially be addressed with planned retrofits or infrastructure upgrades.
3. Does your technology offer quantification of emission rates?
Quantification of emissions, or determining the emission rate, can be of critical importance for several reasons. First, quantification helps repair crews know which emissions to tackle first, helping them prioritize the most impactful repairs. It can even provide information to help identify the source of an emission and give you information that can help you understand the cause of an emission. Quantification is also an important element for understanding an emissions intensity (the emissions output relative to the amount of natural gas produced) or to calculate an emissions inventory.
To develop a systematic understanding of emission sources and the types of equipment that generate the largest or most common emissions, quantification can be a useful tool. This way, the equipment source paired with the emission rate can aid in determining which operational adjustments or equipment retrofits will generate the greatest emissions reduction as fast as possible.
4. How accurately does your technology pinpoint methane emission sources?
Simply knowing that emissions are coming from a site or general area of operation is inadequate for efficient ground crew follow-up. Pinpointing emission sources, known as localization, ensures crews know which piece of equipment needs attention, what tools are needed for mitigation, or whether the solution can be handled remotely by operations or requires a ground crew.
Localization can also help with understanding equipment-attributed emission inventories, identifying systemic equipment issues, and planning upgrades or retrofits to reduce your emissions in an informed and strategic way.
5. How many sites per day, miles of pipeline, or square miles per day does your technology scan?
A comprehensive understanding of the emissions from the majority of your assets is critical for effective management and developing reduction strategies. However, the goal isn't simply to cover as many sites as quickly as possible; instead, it's essential to balance site coverage with sufficient emission rate detection sensitivity to ensure meaningful data is collected.
Ideally, you’re looking for a technology that can cover large areas or distances quickly and efficiently, yet also provide the detection sensitivity that your operations require, and with the localization accuracy that you need.
6. When and how will I receive my data?
Timeliness of alerts and emission data is essential for operational efficiency and to address serious emissions quickly. Consider the information you are hoping to receive and what your plan of action will be from the data. More specific questions to ask regarding data delivery may include:
Will my team be notified of large detection events quickly, or will we have to wait for a full report?
Will we receive large amounts of raw data to parse through, or will it be organized and actionable?
Will the data delivered be in a format compatible with our systems?
By knowing how and when you’ll receive your emissions data, you can better plan how to use it and disseminate it across your organization.
Aligning with Your Methane Emissions Management Needs
By asking the right questions, you can ensure that the technology you choose not only meets your sensitivity requirements, but also provides essential context around emission events, accurately quantifies emissions, pinpoints sources effectively, and delivers timely and actionable data.
These considerations will empower you to make informed decisions, enhance operational efficiency, and ultimately drive meaningful reductions in emissions.