Know Your Enemy: Tracking Fugitive Gas Emissions

‘Know your enemy’ is a phrase that has existed for thousands of years. The reason for that is simple, it speaks to a truth that has been proven repeatedly – you can’t win a fight if you don’t know what you’re up against. This holds just as true today in the fight against global warming, as it has throughout history.

In this battle, data is our strongest ally. Over the last few years, substantial efforts have been made to enhance the tracking of fugitive gas emissions, particularly those stemming from the oil and gas industry. The introduction of initiatives like the IMEO Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) at last year’s COP28 climate summit, along with the increasing deployment of satellites capable of delivering near real-time quantitative emissions data, is set to greatly improve the level of information available on where these emissions originate – a crucial step in closing the growing gap in our understanding of this issue.

That understanding is essential for tackling global heating, a highly intricate challenge influenced by a delicate interplay of multiple factors. The technology needed to collect the data that shapes this understanding is more advanced and accessible than ever – but for meaningful progress to be made, the oil and gas industry must be fully committed to using it.

A Complex Global Issue

Fortunately, awareness of the dangers posed by fugitive emissions and the need to monitor them is on the rise. Carbon dioxide is widely recognised as a GHG and has long been central to sustainability discussions, with terms like ‘carbon footprint’ now familiar across the world.

The energy industry and governments are also making significant pledges to address methane emissions as recognition of its extreme global warming potential increases. Methane retains up to 80 times more heat than carbon dioxide when first released into the atmosphere, though it degrades much more rapidly. As a result, while it currently accounts for over a quarter of the global warming we experience today, reducing methane emissions could lead to swift and substantial progress in curbing climate change.

Yet, this is easier said than done. Because most gas leaks occur unintentionally and many gases are both invisible and odourless, detection is virtually impossible without a deliberate and well-equipped effort.

In the oil and gas industry, this challenge is further complicated by the immense scale and complexity of operations. In the midstream sector, oil and gas products travel through pipelines that span hundreds of miles across land, underground, and under the sea. Leaks in these pipes can release vast quantities of gas indefinitely, undermining global efforts to cut emissions.

Solutions are Within Reach

Addressing this global challenge demands large-scale monitoring efforts. This could involve using cutting-edge satellite technology or deploying on-the-ground equipment to help businesses develop their own emissions data.

One of the most promising innovations in their field is high-performance infrared sensors. These sensors use lasers that pass through a specialised filter inside a sampling chamber, measuring the attenuation of light to determine the precise concentration of gas present. By adjusting the filter, different wavelengths of light can be analysed, allowing for the detection of multiple gases with exceptional accuracy and sensitivity.

At Umicore, we support OEMs in streamlining their gas detection systems while helping to drive advancements that let them use their devices in ways they had never previously considered. With more than 35 years of expertise in thin film design and manufacturing, we have overseen decades of development of custom infrared designs and other tools for building a clear profile of greenhouse gas emissions.

This technology is helping businesses paint a clearer picture of methane emissions and better focus their mitigation attempts. When combined with other approaches, action on methane by the oil and gas sector today could reduce human-caused emissions by as much as 45 percent within a decade. If achieved, this would stop global temperatures from warming by almost 0.3°C by 2045.

Such a reduction would contribute 20 percent of the progress towards the target of limiting global temperature rises to 1.5°C and would go a long way to helping achieve targets set out under the Paris Agreement, helping to bring some semblance of stability to an era of geopolitical uncertainty.

As businesses transition from estimates to empirical measurement, a true revolution in emission mitigation is within reach. Modern technology enables highly accurate tracking of emission changes, providing deeper insights that will increase industry accountability, shape regulations and support companies with their own growth goals.

The battle against climate change is the greatest challenge our planet has ever faced. To overcome the obstacles ahead, we must heed the wisdom of the past – improving our knowledge of the enemy we face.

For a list of the sources used in this article, please contact the editor.

eom.umicore.com

Mark Naples is Managing Director of Umicore Coating Services, one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of infrared precision optical filters and coatings to some of the most demanding specifications and applications.

With over 35 years’ experience and more than 2500 proven coating processes, its extensive knowledge enables the business to repeatedly manufacture optical coatings with exceptional spectral and environmental performance.