Drones on the Front Lines of the Fight Against Methane

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Methane has come to light as a critical element in the fight against climate change, with its powerful short-term effects and reporting inconsistencies. 

While methane doesn’t stay in the atmosphere as long as carbon does, it has more than 80 times the warming power of CO2 over the first 20 years after it reaches the atmosphere. Last year, more than 100 countries signed on to a Global Methane Pledge, agreeing to reduce methane emissions by 30 percent between 2020 and 2030.

These reduction goals require quick movement in methane monitoring, reporting, and prevention. Leaks can be hard to detect, especially when they come from abandoned sites, and reporting standards are, well, less than standard. 

Wide-scale, global detection and reporting is moving toward aerial methods—helicopters, satellites, airplanes, and drones. These aerial vehicles are being equipped with various sensors—sniffers, lasers, OGI, etc.—for a bird’s eye view of the methane reality. 

Wide adoption of these efforts, combined with ground monitoring at O&G facilities, are expected to identify super emitters quickly so emissions can be cut off. 

Companies—from legacy O&G producers to brand-new startups—are using drones to detect methane. Drones fit in among a wider effort to expand technological advances in methane detection with satellites, sensor technology, AI, and public reporting. 

A couple of methane projects, highlighted in Inside Unmanned Systems, include:

  • Airplane-mounted sensors used by Stanford University researchers to detect methane leaks from oil and natural gas production in the New Mexico half of the Permian Basin

  • Soarability sniffer technology

  • Laser detection for 2D and 3D mapping

  • OGI (optical gas imagery) thermal imaging 

  • SnifferDRONE, an EPA-compliant alternative for surface emissions monitoring

  • A worldwide drone-based emissions detection and quantification campaign by TotalEnergies

  • A partnership between BP Ventures has invested in Flylogix for UAV monitoring

  • And more

Methane doesn’t stand a chance if these drone and detection technologies are implemented globally.