Offshore staff
ABERDEEN, UK – Air Control Entech has introduced what it claims is the world’s first lightweight optical gas imaging inspection system.
This is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) weighing less than 5,000 g, said to provide a high level of visual accuracy of gas leak locations in challenging or previously inaccessible areas.
The system, which can identify leaks from more than 100 m (328 ft), can be used in a variety of upstream environments including process plants and for decommissioning projects such as well P&A.
Its lightweight camera with digital zoom capability and real-time data transfer provides high definition gas imaging to help detect leaks beyond the scope of normal human vision. Color coding gases assist identification.
According to the company, the system can reduce the risks of fire or explosion through early and fast gas detection, and can visually scan large areas more quickly than alternative sensing technology.
Operators can use the data from optical gas imaging for maintenance planning, potentially leading to reduced unplanned shutdowns.
A recent report from Oil and Gas UK showed that the number of oil and gas leaks reported in the North Sea in 2019 increased by almost a quarter to 125, mostly of gas.
Kieran Hope, COO at Air Control Entech said: “Now operators can visualize exactly where a gas leak has occurred as opposed to relying on sensing systems, which can only provide accuracy to within a 3-ft [0.9-m] radius. In environments where winds can confuse sensing systems, seeing the leak rather than relying on sniffing for it has obvious benefits.
“Visual gas inspections were previously limited to either deck level or reduced use of UAV due to camera weight and flight time capacity.
“However, operators can now reach heights and sites that were previously inaccessible and can double flight time to increase valuable data gathering.”
02/15/2021
