Defining Detection Limits for Continuous Monitoring Systems for Methane Emissions at Oil and Gas Facilities

• Published in: Atmosphere Vol. 15; no. 3; p. 383
• Main Authors: Chen, Qining, Kimura, Yosuke, Allen, David T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.03.2024
• Subjects: Atmospheric models; continuous monitoring; Detection; Detection limits; Dispersion; dispersion models; Emission analysis; Emission standards; Emissions; Environmental protection; Field tests; greenhouse gases; Independent regulatory commissions; Meteorological conditions; Methane; Methane emissions; Modelling; Monitoring; Monitoring systems; Natural resources; oil and gas emissions; Performance evaluation; Performance measurement; Remote sensing systems; Sensors; Simulation; Test procedures; Time series; Weather; United States > US; Permian Basin
• ISSN: 2073-4433; 2073-4433
• DOI: 10.3390/atmos15030383

Networks of fixed-point continuous monitoring systems are becoming widely used in the detection and quantification of methane emissions from oil and gas facilities in the United States. Regulatory agencies and operators are developing performance metrics for these systems, such as minimum detection limits. Performance characteristics, such as minimum detection limits, would ideally be expressed in emission rate units; however, performance parameters such as detection limits for a continuous monitoring system (CMS) will depend on meteorological conditions, the characteristics of emissions at the site where the CMS is deployed, the positioning of CMS devices in relation to the emission sources, and the amount of time allowed for the CMS to detect an emission source. This means that certifying the performance of a CMS will require test protocols with well-defined emission rates and durations; initial protocols are now being used in field tests. Field testing results will vary, however, depending on meteorological conditions and the time allowed for detection. This work demonstrates methods for evaluating CMS performance characteristics using dispersion modeling and defines an approach for normalizing test results to standard meteorological conditions using dispersion modeling.