View article

Optical gas imaging (OGI) is a commonly utilized leak detection method in the upstream and midstream sectors of the U.S. natural gas industry. This study characterized the detection efficacy of OGI surveyors, using their own cameras and protocols, with controlled releases in an 8-acre outdoor facility that closely resembles upstream natural gas field operations. Professional surveyors from 16 oil and gas companies and 8 regulatory agencies participated, completing 488 tests over a 10 month period. Detection rates were significantly lower than prior studies focused on camera performance. The leak size required to achieve a 90% probability-of-detection in this study is an order-of-magnitude larger than prior studies. Study results indicate that OGI survey experience significantly impacts leak detection rate: Surveyors from operators/contractors who had surveyed more than 551 sites prior to testing detected 1.7 (1.5–1 …