Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) Detector Arrays for Continuous Monitoring

Whether it is meeting corporate goals, regulatory requirements, or economic returns, increasingly tight gas emissions standards require a well-designed, comprehensive monitoring plan. Such a plan requires the following fundamental capabilities:

• Detection of all emissions: The flexibility of the MPS™ sensor technology allows the NevadaNano’s IIoT Detectors to be customized to detect methane, hydrogen, hydrocarbon vapors and / or blends of each. Each customized IIoT Detector achieves the same high probability of detection of all significant emissions from a site while meeting cost constraints. Ideally, there should be no “blind spots.” It can be difficult to achieve a high probably of detection with just a few detectors at a site. For example, fenceline detectors at the perimeter of a site can leave gaps of poorly monitored areas , enabling many gas plumes to leave the site undetected. Technologies that scan a site from one location suffer from blind spots and high installation costs. A much better approach is to utilize an array of low-cost detectors spread throughout the site. These ensure high coverage of the entire site to create a high probability of detection. Using an array of low-cost detectors enables the full coverage required to achieve rapid, comprehensive detection.

• Continuous Monitoring: Due to investor, market, and regulatory pressure, most oil and gas companies now have aggressive emission reduction targets. These typically include significant emission reductions in the next few years followed by a long-term net zero goal. Intermittent monitoring, for example on a monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual schedule, allows long durations of emissions between leak detection inspections, resulting in single events that can offset an entire year of emissions reduction efforts. There are many published cases of satellites detecting large leaks that could have been detected by continuous monitoring and repaired prior to discovery by a third party. Continuous monitoring, with readings performed many times per hour, 24/7/365 with immediate reporting of the results, is the only method that provides the emissions reductions desired by stakeholders.

• Accurate Quantification of emissions: Emission volume is a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) that enables a company to understand their overall emissions and track emissions reductions over time. It is derived from the Emission Rate which helps to prioritize repairs (for example, abating the largest emissions first, as well as for tracking progress in reducing emissions. To produce a trusted KPI, quantification technology must be accurate.

• Data Security: Emissions data is highly proprietary, not only the fugitive emissions data, but also the progress toward emissions abatement. The security methods must protect the data from alteration or theft to maintain valid records and to avoid data leaks.

• Remote Monitoring: Many sites that require emission monitoring are remote, which places a premium on automated, high reliability operation. In addition, even if the site is accessible or continuously staffed, some monitoring locations can be difficult to access. These places a premium on reliable, automated monitoring with low or no maintenance.

• Low Total Cost of Ownership: While emissions monitoring is important, it is not typically the main focus of an enterprise, but rather a cost center. This is an exception of course in the case of natural gas production, in which emissions abatement can contribute to top line and bottom-line revenue. In all cases however, low purchase price, low installation costs, long system life, minimal maintenance costs and low operational costs are critical factors for emissions monitoring.