Image-Based, Automatic Methane Monitoring System at Fixed Sites
Approved for funding in ERA’s Natural Gas Challenge in 2020, Kuva Canada Inc. (Kuva) developed a methane monitoring camera for continuous, fast detection and quantification of methane emissions at oil and gas sites, with particular applications to reduce tank venting. By project completion in 2023, it showed the technology can be successfully applied for tank emissions and facility monitoring. Of note, this project was a successful follow on from a previously funded project with ATCO.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, and it can be challenging to measure, monitor, and reduce methane leakages in the oil and gas industry. Kuva’s methane imaging system is a novel solution for continuous monitoring of methane emissions from oil and gas operators. The low-cost, infrared camera is a monitoring solution to automatically detect, visualize, and quantify vents and leaks at locations ranging from wells, to tanks, to other sources of methane. The Kuva technology can be applied as permanently mounted cameras for ongoing compliance reporting and leak detection, or as temporary installations to measure upsets or conduct surveys.
This project involved partnering with Whitecap Resources, Cenovus Energy, and the CMC Research Institute. The permanently mounted cameras helped to demonstrate reliable, continuous operation, and automatic leak detection and quantification in year-round installations. The relocatable installations at sites helped to better estimate emissions leaks from uncontrolled tanks – a particularly challenging source of methane emissions to abate – by helping to establish leak rate quantification accuracy. The technology results are being disseminated and formalized via Alberta Energy Regulator’s (AER) Alternative Fugitive Emissions Management Program (alt-FEMP) to assist with broad industry adoption and acceptance.
Successfully Demonstrated Kuva System to Tank Venting
The project demonstrated the Kuva technology can be applied to storage tank venting, in addition to other emissions at natural gas wells and for facility monitoring at gas plants. While simultaneously making improvements to the technology, Kuva successfully advanced the solution from TRL 7 to TRL 10.
Kuva conducted controlled release and metered tests at three different types of sites across all seasons, deployed and tested the camera at 80 upstream gas sites, and installed eight cameras over one year operation at multiple upstream and midstream sites. These demonstrations collectively provided enough data to enable technology refinements and reliability improvements. Kuva received significant positive feedback from operators on the technology.
The deployments demonstrated the Kuva camera can operate reliably under all Canadian weather conditions to automatically detect and alert on methane emission events and to quantify those emissions. It also showed the feasibility of using a relocatable camera solution to determine if emissions from uncontrolled tanks are within regulatory limits. Via the demonstrations, unexpected emissions from equipment malfunctions were detected, and the ability to reliably pinpoint emissions to its source based on images enabled efficient analysis and repair. The Kuva system met or exceeded goals for quantification accuracy, detection sensitivity, and achieved the first regulator-approved equivalency of continuous methane monitoring cameras through AER’s alt-FEMP program. The alt-FEMP pilot program at Whitecap Resources’ gas plant installed three Kuva cameras to monitor tanks, compressors, pigging station, and surrounding equipment.
What’s next?
The Kuva technology is fully commercialized and advancing deployment, with the platform being used by over 20 oil and gas operators across North America. Going forward, Kuva will continue expanding its system to meet customer requirements to include the calculation of methane intensity data at an asset level. Kuva has since secured federal funding from PrairiesCan, as well as private investors, to support market expansion and became a leader in camera-based methane emissions monitoring for the oil and gas industry.
Since project completion, Kuva formed partnerships with Montrose Environmental Sensible Environmental Data Platform, global environmental solutions company and VisionAery, computer vision algorithms for industrial applications. Collaborating to provide a comprehensive suite of environmental data and AI solutions, respectively. These collaborations utilize environmental data technology to address methane and VOC emission and provide solutions to quickly identify and mitigate emissions in the oil and gas industry. Tank venting emissions are still considered a challenging source to abate, due to access challenges and unpredictable and irregular leakages. The Kuva technology may be particularly well suited to address these emissions.