Rapid Aerial Small Methane Leak Survey

Main Objective

The project aims to improve leak survey 12X faster per unit area than today's ground-based, vehicle-mounted sensors. Leak survey >5X faster than the best available airborne differential absorption lidar (DIAL) in development. Sub-objectives to demonstrate the above are:
a) 25 ppm-m sensitivity & ~1m spatial resolution, b) >/= 300 m swath width and 100 mph flight speed, and c) Quantify rate of detected leaks with enough precision to allow prioritization of repair.

Public Abstract

This R&D project develops new airborne differential absorption lidar (DIAL) technology that substantially reduces the cost of methane leak surveys as compared to the ground based, vehicle-mounted, in-situ sensors used today. It does this by swath-mapping broad areas of gas distribution networks 12X faster per unit area than vehicle mounted systems. The wide swath approach proves a combination of novel high-energy lasers and high-speed low-noise detectors. It includes high-speed electronics that perform signal processing 100X faster than existing DIAL. The new instrument surveys broad areas >5X faster than existing DIAL which is designed to survey narrow transmission pipeline corridors and not gas distribution networks. The project includes end-user participation to guide the research, support flight testing, and evaluate resulting test data. Academic collaboration with a University of Colorado research laboratory provides Grade 3 leak rate quantification, allowing prioritization of leak repair.