Methane-Sniffing Drones in Fracturing Operations
A significant issue with the hydraulic-fracturing process is the release of methane, an abundant gas in oil shale reservoirs that migrates upward through the drill hole to the surface, where it escapes into the atmosphere or is burned off through “flaring.” As the rate of hydraulic fracturing continues to increase across the country, methane release is increasingly recognized as a pollution problem.
With nearly 500,000 hydraulically fractured gas wells across the U.S. and a vast network of connecting pipelines and other infrastructure, reducing methane emissions is a daunting and costly problem to tackle. The key is devising an industry-wide method for surveying, identifying, and correcting methane leaks in drilling and processing operations.
A faster and more cost-effective approach is the use of “methane-sniffing” drones. Researchers are developing more sensitive methane sensors for leak detection that utilize cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS). For example, Colorado State University Ventures has created an advanced CRDS system that can be installed on drones to provide real-time measurement of methane emissions. The sensor can discern between oil-and-gas-related methane emissions and those from biogenic sources, such as cattle.
Date: February 2015
Image: Google Images
Coordinator: EnvGuide Team
Source: https://www.asme.org/engineering-topics/articles/energy/methanesniffing-drones-in-fracturing-operations