Effective emission reduction starts with knowing the exact location and the magnitude of those losses. There is also the need for reliable and credible data covering the whole gas value chain. The Sniffers has developed a Methane Accounting Program to assist oil & gas asset owners to realize their environmental and sustainability ambition for methane. The program determines how much methane is emitted per asset and across the entire chain from well to market.
“The program consists of three key steps. First, we develop a Fit-for-Purpose Methane Program together with the customer. It incorporates the right technologies and protocols for the methane situation at the site. Next, Field Emission Surveys are executed. They start from a bottom-up inventory of all potentially emitting sources and generates accurate and reliable measurements,” said Bart Wauterickx, CEO, The Sniffers.
The program, based on a ‘fit for purpose’ train of thought, takes the comprehensive approach towards continuous improvement of all emissions from all assets on the gas value chain. It considers all relevant technologies and protocols, provides a balance between sufficiently accurate emission figures and the cost of such a program.
“The detailed figures and emission report are then assessed, leading to a stream of continuous improvement actions for a fine-tuned Program for Sustainable Improvements. This is the third and final step in the program. The Sustainable Improvement Program can consist of adjusting measuring frequencies based on risk-based inspection approaches, continuous IoT sensor measurements or remote emission monitoring techniques,” Bart Wauterickx added.
This detailed action-oriented approach creates high awareness of the environmental impact of oil & gas installations. The program also allows customers to identify the biggest opportunities for methane emission reduction and enables reliable communication of actual emission data to all stakeholders involved.