Nasr Alkadi (Baker Hughes, General Electric (BHGE)) Radislav Potyrailo (GE), Ashraf El-Messidi (BHGE), and Dustin Sharber (BHGE)
2017
Executive Summary
This report presents the work performed by the BHGE-EIC (formerly known as OGTC) and GRC teams for the deployment, demonstration, and validation of BHGE methane detection and quantification technologies (currently at the latest stages of development) in the Canadian oil and gas segment.
This work was funded by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and administered by Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada (PTAC) with complete support and coordination with Encana Corporation including the identification of field pilot sites as well as purview of daily activities during field measurements campaigns. Project team completed nine online and in person safety training classes in BC, Canada to meet Encana’s site access requirement prior to engagement in field work. Additionally, the team obtained a special flight operation certification (SFOC) for the operation of UAV System in Canadian Airspace. All test equipment were exported to Canada as part of this project and were imported back to the USA upon completion of the field testing campaigns.
The two BHGE methane detection technologies field piloted were a) Ground-based (GB or ARGUS) and b) Aerial-based (UAV or RAVEN). The field pilot took place at four Encana wellsites plus one gas compressor station near Dawson Creek, BC, Canada on two rounds of testing during August and October of 2017. The main objective was to determine whether these technologies when used to strategically scan a facility, are effective in detecting, locating and measuring methane leaks in real time.
BHGE technologies deployed were able to detect, quantify, and localize methane leaks during a series of controlled produced natural gas release experiments at the test sites. Field testing campaigns included third party verification using today’s available methane detection technologies (Optical Gas Imaging and Hi Flow Sampler). All field measurement and data analysis results were reported to Encana and PTAC as Interim Report (1) and Interim Report (2). Both reports are included in the appendix.
From the successful results of this field testing, BHGE is now positioned to build on the learnings from this project to further finetune and develop these two technologies for the oil and gas industry at large and allow for enabling industry-wide reductions of methane emissions.
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