The Fast Track to Low Carbon Emission Profiles: The Crucial Role of Intermittency in Today's Climate Strategy
Accurate measurement of the intermittency of emissions is critical for unlocking the full potential of methane mitigation (e.g., flare malfunctions, process upsets), emissions reconciliation (e.g., OGMP 2.0), and minimization of compliance penalties (e.g., the IRA of 2022 methane waste fee). Intermittency is not currently accounted for in the primary emissions estimation methods and models (e.g., FEAST and LDAR-Sim); this notable gap will likely change very soon. For now, however, this shortcoming has made it challenging to use modeling tools to compare the efficacy of monitoring techniques. Many advanced monitoring systems can detect and quantify emissions across various time scales. However, significant differences exist in the comparative capabilities of these technologies to accurately record rate and duration information for intermittent events.
The Methane Fee will create a stark necessity for accurate emission duration, rate, and persistence characterization. Without credible information on the start and persistence of emissions (e.g., Other Large Release Events in the subpart W proposed revisions), operators will be required to use a default duration of 182 days, increasing fees by thousands of dollars for each day that a leak's actual duration is over-reported. Methane mitigation technologies are increasingly pivotal for oil and gas professionals aiming to meet regulatory requirements, reduce emissions, and advance toward net-zero goals. Recognizing the complexities and intermittency of methane emissions, it's essential to leverage advanced monitoring and mitigation strategies that provide reliably accurate, real-time data for informed decision-making, beginning with a new way to view your data:
The four key steps to accurate rate and duration measurement of emissions:
Detection: timely identification of abnormal emissions enables net-zero goals and is further required for the credibility of start-time reporting.
Characterization: accurate characterization of emission source intermittency and/or persistency avoids expensive duration over-reporting.
Quantification: reliable accuracy in the measured rate is a requirement for accurate reporting and verification of net-zero goals.
Reporting: following repair, total event duration combined with intermittency and rate information provides the total effective volume of emissions for net-zero proof points and minimization of waste fees.
The advent of sophisticated monitoring technologies, such as LongPath Technologies' Laser Line Sensor, represents a significant leap forward in detecting, characterizing, quantifying, and reporting methane emissions. This technology's superior sensitivity and coverage enable operators to detect emissions with high accuracy, quantify emission rates reliably, and characterize the intermittency of emission sources effectively.
Understanding the intermittency of emissions is crucial for accurate reporting and compliance with regulations like the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which mandates fees for methane emissions exceeding certain thresholds. Technologies capable of detailed intermittency measurement and reporting can help operators avoid costly penalties by accurately recording and reporting emissions from start to finish, reflecting the actual duration and measured intensity of emission events.
Furthermore, the Observing System Completeness framework offers a novel approach to comparing the effectiveness of various methane monitoring technologies. This comparison demonstrates that continuous line sensors provide comprehensive coverage and high-frequency data collection and are exceptionally well-suited for methane emission monitoring in the oil and gas industry.
Excerpts from: LongPath Guide To: Emissions Intermittency PDF and Video
https://www.longpathtech.com/resources/understanding-the-importance-of-intermittent-emissions
By integrating these advanced technologies into their emissions management strategies, operators can comply with evolving regulations and take a significant step toward achieving their net-zero ambitions. This progression underscores the necessity for continuous innovation and adoption of best-in-class methane mitigation technologies in the oil and gas sector.
Get the “Emission Intermittency, Observing System Completeness” Whitepaper @ https://www.longpathtech.com/resources
