HONEYWELL REBELLION BEST PRACTICES IN METHANE MONITORING AND MEASUREMENT - Whitepaper
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HONEYWELL REBELLION BEST PRACTICES IN METHANE MONITORING AND MEASUREMENT Whitepaper
GAS CLOUD IMAGING:
A NEW BEST PRACTICE
FOR DETECTION AND
VISUALIZATION OF
METHANE LEAKS
As countries around the world strive to “To win the Race to Net Zero
address global warming, the European Green Emissions, we need everyone on
Deal is calling for zero net emissions of board. We need ambitious action
from the Oil & Gas Industry. UNEP
greenhouse gases by 2050. And in the USA, is committed to supporting efforts
states have enacted policies for reductions that reduce methane emissions,
and we recognize the leadership
ranging from 10 percent by 2020 to 90 of companies that have joined
percent by the middle of the century. ¹ such an ambitious methane
reporting framework. We look
These greenhouse gases are not limited to carbon dioxide. Another significant forward to seeing actions that turn
contributor is methane, particularly in the energy, agricultural and waste commitments into actual emissions
management industries. Indeed, according to the Yale School for the Environment, reduction.”
methane traps 86 times as much heat as carbon dioxide over a 20-year
period and accounts for a quarter of total atmospheric warming to date. ² Inger Andersen, Executive Director
of the UN Environment Program
The reduction of methane emissions is clearly an effective way to slow down global (UNEP)
warming, and, accordingly, the European Commission has launched the EU Methane
Strategy to address the issue. In addition, industrial giants such as BP, ExxonMobil “I am very happy to see the energy
and Shell have pledged voluntary measures to cut methane emissions, ³ and the Oil industry taking immediate action
and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP) recently announced a commitment from on methane emissions. A clear
62 global companies to do the same with a new methane reporting framework. ⁴ commitment to measure and
monitor emissions is an important
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CONTINUOUS, 24/7 first step for significantly reducing
them. There are many more steps
MONITORING OF METHANE EMISSIONS to take to cut emissions along the
A critical challenge — and a key consideration in the EU Methane Strategy — is entire value chain and I hope to work
how to manage leak detection and repair (LDAR) for methane emissions in closely with all partners to reach
industrial operations. One commonly accepted approach is to deploy workers to this goal.”
periodically inspect a site, using handheld thermal cameras to identify the sources
of leaks and arrange for repair. However, this protocol has some drawbacks: Kadri Simson, EU Energy
It is time- and people-intensive, is subject to human error, often discovers Commissioner
inconsequential pinhole leaks versus major releases, and, importantly, only
catches those methane leaks that occur during scheduled inspections. Leaks
that happen between inspections could go unnoticed until the next check.
1. National Conference of State Legislatures: Greenhouse Gas
Emissions Reduction Targets and Market-based Policies
2, 3. Yale Environment 360: Methane Detectives: Can a Wave of New
Technology Slash Natural Gas Leaks?: 10-31-19
4. UN Environment Programme, Oil and Gas Industry Commits to New Framework
to Monitor, Report and Reduce Methane Emissions, 11-24-20
Rebellion Methane | www.honeywell.com | 2
A more effective approach is a new class of technology called gas cloud imaging
(GCI), which addresses the gaps in current methodologies. This technology uses
fully automatic video cameras that can be stationed throughout an industrial site to
provide continuous, 24/7 monitoring in all weather conditions, detecting leaks as
soon as they happen. GCI cameras combine a visual sensor, hyperspectral sensor,
analytics, and software to provide an easy-to-interpret colored video, which shows
the gas type, location, direction, size, and concentration of a gas leak, enabling
plant managers to respond with the appropriate level of urgency and coordinate
repair. The hyperspectral sensor is a critical component of the system, as it can
see the optical fingerprint of the gas cloud – thus making it possible to differentiate
from common “false alarm” molecules that can arise from steam or water vapor.
BELOW, CONSIDER THE KEY
ADVANTAGES OF GCI SYSTEMS.
MONITORING THE “FAT TAIL”
When it comes to improving the detection and measurement of methane
emissions, the best approaches are based on meaningful outcomes for regulators,
communities and the environment — not on prescriptive, tick-the-box processes
that identify small leaks that may not pose a material threat. In some cases, the
repair of a pinhole leak will release more methane into the air than the leak itself.
GCI, on the other hand, provides continuous quantification monitoring, enabling
a focus on the significant methane leaks — the “fat tail” — that are creating the
biggest problem. Indeed, almost all energy, agricultural and waste-management
operations generate methane, but studies have shown that 10 percent of the
methane sources in an area are often responsible for more than 50 percent of
the total emissions. ⁵ With real-time GCI analytics, companies can quickly and
accurately assess the gravity of a methane leak and prioritize the repair.
5. University of Michigan: Methane leaks: A new way to find and fix in real time: 8-15-16
Rebellion Methane | www.honeywell.com | 3
IMPROVING ACCURACY AND REDUCING LABOR
COSTS THROUGH ALWAYS-ON MONITORING
Since GCI cameras with automated analytics can operate around the clock, companies
can easily manage leak detection, repairs and reporting based on real-time data — not
on an arbitrary schedule of manual, error-prone site inspections that may not
identify significant methane releases or catch leaks that occur between site visits.
GCI identifies all significant leaks through continuous monitoring, while also
reducing required manpower and the associated labor cost, which is one
of the most expensive parts of current methane detection protocols. That
labor reduction is especially critical as the EU Methane Strategy calls for
cost-effective reduction of greenhouse gases. Companies are more likely to
comply with a strategy if they can do it while minimizing their expenses.
IDENTIFYING THE PRECISE SOURCE OF THE
LEAK AND MAKING REPAIRS
Historically, determining the relative methane emissions from different sources
has been very difficult, as leaks can be temporary or prolonged, with emission rates
changing over time, and stemming from various pieces of processing equipment
that may be in close proximity. As a result, some methodologies lack precise
data on the size, location and duration of leaks; therefore, these methodologies
often rely on statistical probabilities to measure gas characteristics.
Conversely, GCI technology detects and measures a methane leak in minutes
and with precision — including location, size, concentration and direction.
That means companies can use GCI monitoring software to definitively see
the source of a leak, such as the tubing connector on a certain pipe, so they
can diagnose the problem, quantify it and repair it. This is very different
from canvassing a site on foot to look for leaks based on probabilities.
To reach their ambitious climate targets, the European Commission and
global industrial community need an effective, efficient approach to
methane LDAR. And gas cloud imaging is in the prime position to become
the new best practice — for both voluntary and regulatory frameworks.
Rebellion Phototonics, part of Honeywell’s Safety and Productivity
Solutions business, is one of several providers of this new class of technology.
Honeywell Rebellion GCI cameras, coupled with the Mass Methane analytic
(coming soon), use proprietary hyperspectral imaging technology and
machine learning analytics to provide a visual monitoring platform that
can identify and quantify methane releases in industrial operations.
Rebellion Methane | www.honeywell.com | 4For more information sps.honeywell.com Honeywell Gas Analysis and Safety 300 S. Tryon Street, Suite 500 Charlotte, NC 28202 Tel: +1 888-749-8878 Fax: +1 817-274-8321 Rebellion Methane Whitepaper | Rev A | 01/21 detectgas@honeywell.com © 2021 Honeywell International Inc.
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