Performance Evaluation of Survey Solutions in Detecting and Localizing Source-Level Emissions Using a Single-Blind Controlled Testing Protocol

Standardized controlled testing of emerging methane detection solutions is a critical step in demonstrating emissions mitigation equivalence between emerging solutions and existing regulatory-approved leak detection and repair methods, such as ground-based optical gas imaging (OGI) camera surveys, in the United States and Canada. In this study, 12 solutions─including four hand-held OGI cameras, hand-held NextGen solutions, and mobile solutions (automobile- and drone-based)─were evaluated using a single-blind controlled testing protocol at an outdoor facility designed to simulate emissions from a simplified onshore North American oil and gas production facility. Three solutions were retested 3 to 12 months after the initial assessment using the same protocol and facility to evaluate how performance changed over time. Results indicated that hand-held OGI cameras generally achieved better emission source localization accuracy as well as lower 90% probability of detection and false positive fraction compared to other solution categories. The false negative fractions of OGI cameras were comparable to those of hand-held NextGen solutions but generally lower than those of mobile solutions, which exhibited shorter survey durations relative to other categories of hand-held solutions. The performance of two of three solutions improved with repeat testing, highlighting the potential benefit of regular, comprehensive testing for the development of solutions. Overall, the study findings suggest that while several emerging survey solutions showed promising detection and localization capabilities, hand-held OGI cameras demonstrated higher efficacy in identifying and accurately localizing small emission sources.