Validation Testing of Continuous Laser Methane Monitoring at Operational Oil and Gas Production Facilities

Methane emissions at oil and gas facilities can be measured in real time with continuous monitoring systems that alert operators of upset conditions, including fugitive emissions. We report on extensive operator field testing of a continuous laser monitoring system in ~year-long deployments at 46 oil and gas sites in two U.S. basins. The operator assessed periods of non-alerts with daily optical gas imaging sweeps to confirm emission status. Detection precision was 98% and false positive and negative rates were 3%. Quantification of challenge-controlled release tests at active oil and gas sites yielded a measured versus true emissions curve with slope = 1.2, R2 = 0.90. Repeatability test measurements of four production facilities with two different laser systems showed 33.9% average quantification agreement. Separate third-party blind controlled release testing at two state-of-the-art test facilities yielded 100% true positive rate (0 false negatives). Combining the third-party blind tests with field tests, emission rate quantification uncertainty was +/−41% across five orders of magnitude. These varied evaluation approaches validate the measurement system and operator integration of data for measurement and monitoring of upstream oil and gas emissions and demonstrate a test regime for vetting of monitoring and measurement technologies in active oil and gas operations.