site scan of oil and gas site for methane emissions

2022 Inflation Reduction Act Includes New Regulations for Emission Monitoring

When it comes to climate change, we can all do our part to help monitor and reduce emissions. As part of their efforts to address this issue on a larger scale, the US government introduced the Inflation Reduction Act. SeekOps has taken the time to understand how this act will impact processes and procedures for monitoring and reporting emissions.

With a primary goal to mitigate the effects of global climate change, we have examined the various acts and legislations that will affect our work and technology,  so that our teams can implement best practices on a global scale. Read on to discover how one of the more recent legislation updates will affect our work to reduce emissions in the US.

How Does the Inflation Reduction Act Impact Emission Monitoring?

With around $369 billion invested under the Inflation Reduction Act, the federal government expects emissions to be reduced by around 40% by 2030. To effectively reach that target, states need to monitor the emissions they’re generating and implement effective solutions to reduce the number of emissions; this means accurately, reliably, and consistently quantifying emissions using independently-validated, field-proven technologies and analytics.

At SeekOps, our team has deployed our unique methane sensor on unmanned aerial systems/drones globally, using automated flight paths to optimize measurement of all site emissions. SeekOps technology delivers direct methane measurement, accurate quantification and leak localization at equipment group level, ensuring that the emissions reported represent current operations and enabling prompt remedial action for the operator’s repair team.

The Methane Emissions Reduction Program (Sec. 60113)

This new Act also features the Methane Emissions Reduction Program. This particular program introduces a fee that oil and gas companies must pay should their facilities emit methane. These companies must report their emissions per the Clean Air Act. Greenhouse gas emissions that exceed 25,000 metric tonnes per year will incur a charge of $900 per metric tonne of methane for 2024; this rate will increase on an annual basis.

Amendments to the Clean Air Act

Another piece of legislation that has shaped how we monitor and address greenhouse gas emissions is the Clean Air Act. When the Act was implemented in 2011, it established key standards for greenhouse gas emission regulation based on research by the US Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

But with the recent passing of the Inflation Reduction Act, the US Government amended the Clean Air Act to classify carbon dioxide, hydrofluorocarbons, methane, nitrous oxide, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride as air pollutants that are harming our environment. This updated classification means the EPA now has access to more funds to regulate these emissions and work towards the goal of slashing emissions by 40% before 2030.

Effective Ways to Increase Carbon Credits and Decrease Emissions

Though fully eliminating carbon emissions might seem like the goal to achieve, for some businesses it’s just not possible. This is where the concept of carbon credits comes into play. In its simplest form, carbon credits allow businesses to release a certain amount of greenhouse gasses. One credit often equates to one metric tonne of carbon emissions, and if their emissions exceed the amount of credits that they have, then the companies will have to purchase more credits as an extra allowance.

Additionally, the new legislation has incentivized emissions reduction measures by way of tax credits. By offering tax credits for things like underground carbon storage, or repurposing emissions into usable energy sources like renewable natural gas, business now have many more resources available to reduce their overall greenhouse gas emissions. With the credits being directly related to ‘product in pipe’ or retained production, asset integrity and finding and eliminating emissions as soon as they occur is a critical incentive.

Cutting Edge Greenhouse Gas Emission Monitoring System

Here at SeekOps, we offer our clients cutting-edge greenhouse gas emission monitoring systems, ensuring that they have the data that they need to effectively reach their emissions reduction goals. Recent results for a biogas producer highlighted an 84% reduction in emissions before and after remedial action for leaks identified by SeekOps.

We can help you optimize your methane and carbon output, so that you can stay compliant, maximize tax credits, and reduce fees due to elevated emissions – all while maintaining a safe operation that minimizes environmental impact.

Get in Touch

If you’re seeking to reduce your business’s carbon emissions, then SeekOps has the perfect solution for you – unobtrusive, accurate and fast. Our customer-focused team, consisting of skilled engineers, data analysts, and network of FAA-certified pilots, can provide cost-effective and high-quality field services to meet the specific needs of your operation, wherever they are. Get in touch here to find out more.

offshore engineer magazine article

SeekOps’ Dave Turner Discusses LDAR in Offshore Engineer Magazine

SeekOps’ Business Development Director for Asia Pacific, Dave Turner, was recently interviewed on the topic of LDAR (Leak Detection and Repair) for Offshore Engineer Magazine. In it, Turner discusses how independent top-down emissions monitoring should help to validate bottom-up measurements.

Here’s an excerpt:

The US and EU are looking to make emitters pay, but customer and corporate goals are becoming important too, even in places where the regulations are not as developed. “It’s early days in many places for measuring and reporting emissions. A lot of operators are still figuring out their strategy,” says Dave Turner, Business Development Director – Asia Pacific for SeekOps. “Here in Southeast Asia, where there are hundreds of platforms, you can inspect a lot of them very quickly using a drone.”

As detection technology grows in sophistication, a top-down approach is supplementing the more traditional bottom-up approach to LDAR. The aim, says Turner, is to validate bottom-up measurements using a directly measured independent method. Companies are looking to quantify methane emissions at a macro level to reconcile the numbers obtained by identifying specific leaks with drone-mounted or fixed sensors and hand-held tools.

Read the full article here.

profile photos of two people on starry sky background

SeekOps Team Discusses Methane Monitoring on Let’s Clear the Air Podcast

SeekOps CEO Iain Cooper and VP of Business Development Paul Khuri were featured on a recent of episode of the Let’s Clear the Air – a podast from the GPA Midstream Association focused on education and advocacy for a better energy future. The episode delves into ways the industry is innovating and the breakthrough technologies being deployed to detect and measure methane leaks.

Topics covered in the interview include:

  • The challenge of methane emissions for the industry and how technology is helping companies meet that challenge
  • The history behind SeekOps’ sensors developed by NASA and the company’s differentiator, quantifying methane leaks
  • The locations and different industries that are utilizing SeekOps technology
  • The challenges of methane detection – there’s no technology that fits every scenario
  • Impact of regulatory pressures on the industry
  • The commitment of the industry to reduce emissions

Listen to the full podcast episode in these places:

Podcast Website | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify

 

methane from landfills

How Monitoring Landfill Methane Helps Both Landfill Businesses and the Environment

You might be surprised to know that landfills are a perfectly hospitable ecosystem for life. The phrase “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure” has never been more appropriate when considering the microbiological paradise created from organic, human waste.

In a typical landfill, organic waste such as food scraps and paper decompose and release methane gas. This gas is flammable, so it must be vented from the landfill to avoid explosions. The process of decomposition is driven by bacteria that thrive in the anaerobic (oxygen-less) conditions of the landfill.

These bacteria break down complex organic molecules into simpler ones that can be used as food by other organisms in the ecosystem. In this way, a single banana peel can end up feeding countless creatures over its time in the landfill!

This cycle of breaking down and recycling organic matter is essential for life on Earth. It’s estimated that every year, microorganisms living in landfills recycle about 1 billion tons (900 million metric tons) of carbon –  that’s nearly 20% of what the United States emits annually.

What is landfill gas?

The decomposition of organic waste creates ‘landfill gas’ – largely made up of methane and other greenhouse gases. Methane is a powerful, climate-warming greenhouse gas that is around 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period.

How is methane used at landfills?

The methane that makes up landfill gas is considered renewable – it is created without the use of non-renewable fossil fuels. This methane, colloquially referred to as Renewable Natural Gas (RNG), can be used just like typical natural gas – as fuel for energy production, to heat homes, or power Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles.

RNG can be used in a number of ways:

  • Generating electricity in a gas-fired power plant
  • Scrubbed and used as fuel for natural gas vehicles
  • Supplying pipeline-quality natural gas to homes and businesses

What are some benefits of using RNG?

Landfill sites that offer RNG production can create a valuable resource out of something that has otherwise been sitting unused. In terms of air quality, burning RNG is much cleaner than burning fossil fuels. An overall reduction in total methane emissions can help to mitigate climate warming since RNG is derived from captured methane that would have otherwise been vented to the atmosphere. Its increased use can help improve local air quality by reducing emissions of other pollutants.

RNG offers a number of benefits over traditional fossil fuels:

  • RNG is a cleaner burning fuel, both lowering the abundance of atmospheric methane and emitting fewer harmful particulates than coal or oil when used to generate electricity.
  • Using RNG can displace the use of non-renewable fossil fuels, helping to reduce our reliance on these limited resources. 
  • Producing RNG can create jobs and economic activity at landfill sites

Many operators have already realized this and implemented gas collection wells to capture the vented gas.

Why methane emissions from landfills need to be measured

The scale of landfill methane emissions

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), landfills make up almost 17% of methane emissions in the United States (see page ES-13 of the latest GHG Inventory Report). That’s about the same environmental impact as 110 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, or 23.5 million more cars on the road. If a single person were responsible for this environmental impact, it would look like one person driving an average gasoline-powered car 271 billion miles (which is like driving around the world 11 million times)!

A way to make methane from landfills useful

While this does qualify landfills as super emitters, it also presents an opportunity by way of RNG. What would have otherwise been flared or worse released into the atmosphere can instead increase revenue for landfills and also offer social gains. 

The federal government recently put a price tag on the social cost of carbon dioxide emissions of $51 per metric ton. This makes landfill methane a socially-shared burden of nearly $5.6 billion US dollars.

The solution to landfill methane measurement

In order to turn landfill gas into RNG, it’s first important to find a solution that can accurately detect and quantify the amounts of methane emitted from landfills. There is also the need to monitor these emissions on the right time scale. 

Since landfills are active living biomes, their emissions change daily with newly added waste and weather conditions. An automated solution can efficiently address this problem and benefit the environment and people living near the landfills.

Methods of landfill methane measurement

A variety of methane abatement strategies exist, but all include measurement and reporting. Some measurement technologies, like fixed monitors and OGI cameras assess emissions by making continuous measurements of fugitive methane. However, those technologies are limited because the sensors are at fixed locations and require methane to pass through them to be detected. Changing wind conditions can lead to large uncertainties when using this technology alone. 

Satellites can measure snapshots of larger emissions of methane that are then aggregated over long periods of time. However, due to the nature of low-earth orbit and costly revisit times, monitoring is infrequent and limited by the weather conditions at the sites. Additionally, spatial resolution limitations make distinguishing emissions from active burial regions and waste-in-place regions nearly impossible. Fugitive emissions originating from gas collection wells and upgrading systems will remain ambiguous for landfill operators.

Lidar mounted on aircraft measures column-integrated methane concentrations. Local wind measurements or synthetic modeled wind data help to map these concentrations to a source and convert to an emission rate. However, aircraft themselves have GHG emissions and a larger carbon footprint than UAV. They also have coarse resolution making localization difficult for optimizing well placement on landfills. Scheduling and planning flights can be another difficult obstacle faced by large aircraft monitoring solutions. 

The last method of methane measurement can characterize vertically resolved concentrations of methane in a way that is both flexible and timely. A sensor that uses Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) has been developed by SeekOps, Inc. and is mounted on small UAVs. 

UAVs offer many advantages for methane sensing. They are lower cost, have shorter deployment times, and can fly in areas that are difficult or dangerous for manned aircraft. In addition, the data they collect is high-resolution and can be rapidly analyzed to provide actionable insights.

A summary of some of the commonly assessed pros and cons of existing technologies offering methane mass flow quantification is shown in Table 1 below.

advantages and disadvantages of different methane detection technologies
Table 1: Comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of different methane detection technologies. *Adapted from Fox et al. (2019) ** Adaptability refers to the mobility of the technology

SeekOps’ unique solution to quantifying methane gas at landfills

SeekOps monitors active methane sites throughout the country. At a recent site they were able to identify methane emissions that could have been making the site ~$30,000 per day in RIN credits (See case study in Figure 1). In this way, accurately measuring methane used for landfill RNG products is a win-win for both the landfill and the environment.

Figure 1 shows that the opportunities for RNG (specifically from landfills) are about 2-fold compared to those from Oil & Gas

An industry that has been an early adopter in quantifying methane is oil & gas. While the potential for methane mitigation and efficient energy production from oil & gas sites is great, the potential benefit from landfill sites is larger. RNG projects from landfills will have a huge impact on sourcing our global energy needs from renewable sources instead of non-renewable fossil-fuels.

SeekOps aggregated emissions data from surveys in the RNG and Oil & Gas sectors. They found that the RNG sector is leading mass flux emissions by about 2-fold. In other words, landfills emit about twice as much methane as Oil & Gas sites, even after accounting for size differences.

methane emissions from landfills
SeekOps service at a landfill site

The scope of landfills creating renewable natural gas

Landfills can be a great way to generate biogas and RNG revenue and provide a substantial alternative to gas from fossil fuels. The EPA shows in Figure 2 that there are currently over 60 landfill RNG projects ongoing in the US. 

To this end, accurate monitoring should be the focus to maintain a close watch on lost methane. Unquantified emission rates could result in thousands of dollars of potential revenue lost each day, so special attention choosing an appropriate monitoring strategy is needed.

 

Figure 2: RNG operations for both Ag Digesters and Landfills (adapted from US EPA)

Landfills in the US emit around 4.4 million metric tons of methane (GHG Inventory, pp ES-13). If all of this methane were captured and traded in for RIN credits, this would amount to almost $10 billion USD per year. That equates to an average of $8 million USD annually to each of the 1,269 landfills currently operating in the US! Combining these savings with reduced operating costs originating from power generation from on-site RNG would greatly improve landfill operating efficiency in terms of dollars spent.

Why UAVs and highly-accurate sensors are the perfect fit for detecting landfill methane

Weather conditions and surface appearance at landfill sites can change by the minute, which makes accurately localizing methane emissions a difficult task. SeekOps uses UAVs to fly a wide array of patterns that capture the most accurate emissions for that snapshot in time(see Figure 3 for one example of this).

Figure 3: Schematic of a downwind flight pattern for quantifying landfill emissions. This illustrates a UAV “fluxplane” flight path along the entire downwind-edge of the landfill site. Repeat visits can happen as often as the landfill manager needs and as long as the wind direction is favorable.

For the TDLAS technology and the SeekOps service teams, there is no methane leak too small or too tall – as the UAV can fly vertical patterns up until methane is no longer observed. In other words landfill sites can benefit by understanding exactly the impact their operations are having on the surrounding environment while also equating that escaped methane to income by way of RIN credits. 

Landfills are large and have dynamic topology as new waste is added every day to active disposal sites. An autonomous and repeatable flight program by UAV means sites can be monitored as frequently as the operators see fit.

Accurately understanding emissions will help to make on-site biogas and RNG programs more efficient in the future. By offering a solution that optimizes measurement frequency, spatial resolution, and flexibility, SeekOps’ technology can help landfill sites quantify and capture emissions to improve their environmental footprint and operational efficiency.

Get in touch with SeekOps

SeekOps has ever-growing operations around the world and continues to add more locations across oil & gas and RNG. If you have a landfill operation that could benefit from actionable and accurate methane localization and quantification, reach out today.

seekops service operations around the world
SeekOps service operations as of Dec. 2022
iso 9001 seekops certification

SeekOps’ Management System Achieves ISO 9001:2015 Certification

SeekOps Inc is pleased to announce that our management systems for the design, testing, implementation, and manufacture of spectroscopy sensors and data solutions have been certified to the ISO 9001:2015 standard.

What is ISO 9001:2015? 

The ISO 9001:2015 standard is an internationally recognized standard for quality management systems. It outlines requirements for an organization’s processes and procedures, with the goal of ensuring that customers receive consistent, high-quality products and services. 

The guidelines provide a process-oriented approach to documenting and reviewing the structure, responsibilities, and procedures required to achieve effective quality management in an organization.

SeekOps’ Path to ISO 9001:2015 Certification

At SeekOps, we are dedicated to providing our customers with the best possible spectroscopy sensors and data solutions. Achieving this certification demonstrates our commitment to quality and continuous improvement in all aspects of our operations. 

Our team has worked hard to meet the rigorous requirements of the ISO 9001:2015 standard, and we are proud to have achieved this certification. We will continue to uphold the highest standards of quality in our design, testing, implementation, and manufacturing processes to ensure that our customers receive the best possible products and services.

Connect With SeekOps To Learn More

If your business is at risk of emitting methane – at any scale – SeekOps can help implement a repeatable, reliable, and accurate measurement system that meets and exceeds global ESG standards. 

Connect with the team today to learn more by reaching out to info@seekops.com.

 

david cox seekops advisory board

SeekOps Adds Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas Co-Founder David Cox to Advisory Board

AUSTIN, Texas – (Business Wire) – SeekOps Inc., a global leader in providing best-in-class sensors and actionable analytics to support both traditional and renewable energy sectors in their decarbonization efforts, today announced the addition of David Cox to their advisory board.

“It is my pleasure to welcome David to our advisory board,” said Iain Cooper, President and CEO of SeekOps. “David’s insights will greatly aid SeekOps’ long term growth into the renewable natural gas and landfill markets as we scale our operations globally. His deep understanding of the complex and rapidly evolving regulatory environment and ESG reporting frameworks will also be key to our growing engagement in the broader RNG community as we continue to incorporate the newest, field-proven innovations into our products and services.”

David Cox is a founding partner of Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas, the association of the RNG industry in North America. RNG Coalition members capture fugitive methane from waste and generate carbon-neutral and carbon-negative renewable energy, including gas, electricity, and hydrogen. Under David’s leadership, RNG Coalition, which includes many of the largest energy companies in the world, has grown to a national and increasingly international leader in the advancement of renewable natural gas. David is widely recognized for his leadership in RNG law, policy and market development. He is a graduate of the McGeorge School of Law and Westmont College. He is licensed to practice law in Texas, Oklahoma and California. 

“There has never been a more critical time to have reliable and actionable information about emissions performance,” said Cox. “SeekOps’ data-driven technology and services are mission critical to any company with a decarbonization commitment. I’m honored to join their Advisory Board and look forward to assisting their exceptionally talented team.”   

David joins Advisory Board member Dr Simon Bittleston, Chairman of the International Scientific Advisory Board for GAPSTI at Cambridge University, who joined in 2022.

Read the full press release here: Business Wire

ONE Future Awards Select Production Technology Of The Year

one future awards seekops

SeekOps is proud to share that they’ve been selected as the Production Technology of the Year at the inaugural ONE Future Awards earlier this month.

The ONE Future Coalition is a group that seeks to voluntarily reduce methane emissions across the natural gas value chain. The goal of this 50-company alliance is to reduce emitted methane to 1% or less by 2025.

What are the ONE Future Awards?

The ONE Future Coalition hosted its first awards event this year in The Woodlands, TX. The event sought to recognize individuals, innovators, and technologies that have made a lasting impact on the natural gas industry and helped contribute to decreases in global methane emissions. 

The awards were categorized by advocates, research and development, and technology segmented by application. Nominations could be by individual, research group, or company.

About the Production Technology of the Year Award

The Technology of the Year award category focused on companies that provide innovative solutions or technology that has reduced methane emissions for natural gas companies. The criteria also required the nominee to currently be in field use and have proven results. 

The Technology of the Year award was split into 4 segments: Production, Midstream, Transmission & Storage, and Distribution. With this segmentation, the award was able to recognize innovations across the full value chain of natural gas.

Who Were the Technology of the Year Category Winners?

Production: SeekOps

Using an industry-leading sensor and autonomous enterprise-grade drones, SeekOps provides critical ESG emissions measurement, reporting, and verification in the oil and gas, renewable natural gas, and waste management industries. The SeekOps sensor has been independently validated with hundreds of controlled releases in peer-reviewed publications.

Midstream: ZEVAC Methane Mitigation

ZEVAC helps gas companies and operators reach their Net Zero goals more easily by delivering fuels to end-users safely and responsibly. In the past year their technology was deployed at 18 ONE Future members sites which captured 100he of gas that would have otherwise been vented.

Transmission and Storage: WeldFit ReCAP Emission Recovery System

WeldFit is company focused on products for pipelines that seeks to preserve system uptimes. Their ReCAP emissions system eliminates the need for natural gas flaring or venting during common pipeline operations. By keeping gas in the pipeline, they can reduce emissions from that pipeline by nearly 100%

Distribution: Bridger Photonics Gas Mapping LiDAR Technology

Bridger Photonics’ Gas Mapping LiDAR detects, locates, and quantifies methane emissions across the natural gas value chain via aerial imaging. Their technology scans about 2000 square miles of So Cal Gas service territory per week.

How SeekOps Reduces Emissions and Pushes Boundaries in the Natural Gas Industry

seekops seekir sensor

SeekOps proprietary TDLAS sensor is ruggedized and field-proven for industry applications, delivering actionable emissions information. While other methane monitoring technologies are stationary or deployed using satellites or planes, SeekOps uses drones to deploy its sensor – allowing for efficient asset surveys to automatically detect, localize, and quantify methane emissions. 

As federal and global mandates for independent monitoring of methane increase, SeekOps’ technology offers a scalable and standardized system that can be affordably implemented at Oil & Gas facilities globally.

Connect With SeekOps To Learn More

If your business is at risk of emitting methane – at any scale – SeekOps can help implement a repeatable, reliable, and accurate measurement system that meets and exceeds global ESG standards. 

Connect with the team today to learn more by reaching out to info@seekops.com.

abu dhabi adipec awards

ADIPEC Awards Choose SeekOps As Oil & Gas Startup Of The Year

The Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) hosted the 12th annual ADIPEC Awards on October 31, 2022. We’re proud to announce that SeekOps has been awarded the “Oil and Gas Start-up Company of the Year” award. 

oil and gas startup of the year winner

“To be recognized on such a global stage as the ADIPEC Awards is truly humbling”, stated Iain Cooper, SeekOps CEO. “With the tone of conference set during the opening address by His Excellency Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director and Group CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) calling for ‘Maximum Energy, Minimum Emissions’, we feel that this award is indeed very timely, as we have now deployed our groundbreaking quantification technology and services on all six major continents, really helping customer directly abate emissions.”

What are the ADIPEC Awards?

The ADIPEC Awards recognize leaders, innovators, and disruptors in categories such as remote operations, low carbon initiatives, inclusion and diversity – and more. 

On the topic of changes in the global energy landscape, ADIPEC Awards Chairperson Fatema Al Nuaimi stated “the need for breakthrough technology and transformational leadership…has never been more urgent.”

This year, over 1,000 companies from 60 countries submitted their businesses for qualification. The finalists were selected by a committee of technical experts, and then handpicked by a selection committee of industry leaders. 

Then a jury of global energy leaders announced winners at the ADIPEC Awards ceremony on Monday October 31, 2022 at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

About the Oil & Gas Start-up Company of the Year Award

ADIPEC states “Oil and gas start-ups play a vital role in pushing the boundaries in the sector by tackling pressing business challenges typically faced by corporations across the globe with a new lens.” 

From smart contracts that provide transparency in global transactions to state-of-the-art hardware that measures liquid inside pipelines, past winners of the award have tackled market-wide issues in an innovative way.

Who Were the Finalist Startup Businesses?

Robotics Solution Energy Robotics GmbH

Energy Robotics is a robotics solution that uses AI to improve inspection processes in the oil & gas, chemical, and utilities industries. They help asset owners operate more efficiently, improve safety, and predict needed maintenance.

Remote Monitoring Sensor Hiber

HiberHilo offers remote monitoring of off-grid wells via satellites and tracking sensors. They aim to make oil and gas operations safer, more efficient and more sustainable.

Methane Measurement Sensor SeekOps

Using an industry-leading sensor and autonomous enterprise-grade drones, SeekOps provides critical ESG emissions measurement, reporting, and verification in the oil and gas, renewable natural gas, and waste management industries.

How SeekOps Pushes Boundaries and Tackles Business Challenges in the Oil & Gas Industry

seekops seekir sensor

SeekOps proprietary TDLAS sensor is ruggedized and field-proven for industry applications, delivering actionable emissions information. While other methane monitoring technologies are stationary or deployed using satellites or planes, SeekOps uses drones to deploy its sensor – allowing for efficient asset surveys to automatically detect, localize, and quantify methane emissions.

As federal and global mandates for independent monitoring of methane increase, SeekOps’ technology offers a scalable and standardized system that can be affordably implemented at Oil & Gas facilities globally.

Connect With SeekOps To Learn More

If your business is at risk of emitting methane – at any scale – SeekOps can help implement a repeatable, reliable, and accurate measurement system that meets and exceeds global ESG standards. 

Connect with the team today to learn more by reaching out to info@seekops.com.

 

alberta methane emissions program

Alberta Energy Regulator Approves First Unmanned Aerial System for Emissions Management Program

SeekOps Receives Regulatory Approval in Alt-FEMP Filing for Repsol Canada

AUSTIN, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SeekOps Inc., a leader in greenhouse gas emissions detection, quantification and reporting solutions, is the technology at the heart of an Alternative Fugitive Emission Management Program (Alt-FEMP), submitted by Repsol, that has now received approval from the Alberta Energy Regulator.

Using their best-in-class, part-per-billion sensitive sensors, SeekOps deploys state-of-the-art unmanned aerial systems that leverage autonomous operations for swift, repeatable and consistent greenhouse gas emission surveys, facilitating rapid leak detection, localization and accurate quantification (LDAQ®). SeekOps is the first unmanned aerial system to be part of an approved Alt-FEMP, and builds on their record of demonstrated success in quantifying emissions for oil and gas facilities worldwide.

Independent validation by Highwood Emissions has demonstrated the effectiveness of the combination of SeekOps’ highly sensitive sensor and actionable analytics, alongside comprehensive preventative maintenance to show that the emissions reductions for this program will be as good or better than currently prescribed regulatory requirements.

Iain Cooper, SeekOps CEO said:

“Accurate quantification is at the heart of determining how effectively and how quickly emissions can be reduced. It has been pleasing to see how fast some Operators have been moving with regards to the adoption of new technologies to assist with their emission-reduction goals. It is equally pleasing to see the Regulatory authorities also embracing these technologies, with both displaying a deep understanding of their capabilities and limitations. We have demonstrated the power of automated unmanned surveys to be a safe and cost-effective solution in assessing the detailed spatial and temporal evolution of emissions, highlighting the effectiveness of operator decarbonization initiatives on their path to net-zero.”

Thomas Fox, Highwood Emissions Management President, stated:

“Advanced measurement solutions will play a critical role in decarbonizing oil and gas production. The SeekOps approval is an exciting milestone in the transition towards better detection and quantification of methane emissions. With the first approval of a drone-based methane solution, we are encouraged by the leadership demonstrated by the Alberta Energy Regulator and SeekOps.”

Read the full press release here: BusinessWire

 

energy executive dr simon bittleston advisory board

Experienced Energy Industry Executive Simon Bittleston to Join SeekOps’ Advisory Board

Austin, TX – SeekOps Inc., a global leader in providing best-in-class sensors and actionable analytics to support both traditional and renewable energy sectors in their decarbonization efforts, today announced the addition of Dr Simon Bittleston to their advisory board.

“It is my pleasure to welcome Simon to our advisory board”, said Iain Cooper, President and CEO of SeekOps. “Simon’s insights will greatly aid SeekOps’ long term growth into the oil and gas, renewable natural gas and landfill markets as we scale our operations globally. His strong focus on rigorous science, and the importance of balancing innovation and process, will reinforce the discipline already established at SeekOps to deliver high quality emissions quantification services anywhere in the world. His expertise will also be key to our broadening engagement in the academic community as we continue to incorporate the newest, proven innovations into our products and services.”

Simon Bittleston spent 35 years in Schlumberger holding a range of senior positions in the company which included Vice President Research, Vice President Product Development & Manufacturing, and Vice President of Mergers & Acquisitions. Earlier in his career, he led the development of Q-Marine, a novel seismic acquisition system, for which he was also the inventor of streamer steering. He is an inventor on more than 35 patent families.  In addition to overseeing more than 40 acquisitions for Schlumberger, he also cofounded the Schlumberger Corporate Venturing Group. He holds a B.Sc. in Mathematics from Imperial College and a PhD in Fluid Mechanics from Bristol University.  He is an Honorary Fellow of Darwin College Cambridge and a Professional By-Fellow of Churchill College Cambridge. Amongst his portfolio of current activities, he is Chairman of the International Scientific Advisory Board for The Gianna Angelopoulos Programme for Science Technology and Innovation, based in the Cavendish Department at Cambridge University.

“I am delighted and enthusiastic to be joining the advisory board”, said Simon Bittleston, “I am looking forward to engaging with the SeekOps’ management team and particularly with the R&D organization as they bring world class monitoring and interpretation systems to aid major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.”

Simon joins Harmen Dekker, Director of the European Biogas Association, who joined the SeekOps Advisory board in 2021, and Jennifer Stewart, Chief Sustainability Officer for Penn America LNG, and Principal Advisor to Equitable Origin.