This post
highlights a company that provides comprehensive leak management and site management to the
oil & gas industry. With fugitive methane emissions a major concern for oil
& gas operators, solutions provided by specific companies like Andium have
been the trend. Andium is a leading oilfield technology company specializing in
tank monitoring, flare monitoring, methane monitoring, liquid leak detection,
fire detection, and asset tracking. Large oil & gas companies are utilizing
companies like Andium to manage their leak detection and monitoring programs.
Modernization of Tank Level Monitoring
According to an
article about Andium in Hart Energy by Jaxton Caines:
“Oilfield operations have long used outdated, manual
methods for measuring tank levels, such as using a gauge and jotting down
readings on carbon paper, much like checking oil in a car.”
“Tech company Andium set out to fix the industry’s
glaring problem.”
The tech works by
thermally imaging tank levels, including levels of different fluids where they separate
out into layers. The tech is easy to install and fully automated. This remote
tank monitoring can help with optimizing fluid hauling schedules and reduce
miles traveled for manual tank monitoring. Information is stored and transferred
via the cloud and Andium’s dashboard. Alarms, alerts, and notifications can be used.
Multiple types of cameras can be used. Cameras can also be employed to observe
the site for access and people. This might come in handy in the Permian Basin
where there have been unauthorized trucks associated with Mexican cartels and
cross-border gangs stealing oil. The daily checklist below shows what the tech
can monitor. The data needs to be interpreted, remediation opportunities identified,
and repairs implemented.
Manual tank
monitoring has been used for a long time in the oil industry and is still the standard.
However, the advantages of remote automated tank monitoring outweigh those of
manual tank monitoring, especially for large operations. Sites that use manual tank
monitoring are much more susceptible to tank overflows. In an article on the website blog Andium gives
the evolution of tank monitoring and the advantages and disadvantages of each
method. The pros and cons of manual tank monitoring are given below followed by
the pros and cons of sight glasses and the
pros and cons of guided wave radar according to Andium.
Infrared, or
thermal monitoring, is the latest tech solution that offers the highest
resolution and solves many of the drawbacks of other methods:
“The latest in the line of monitoring technologies is the
infrared monitoring system, where devices, installed externally, enable
operators to visualize the contents of their tanks, distinguishing clearly
between water and oil. This autonomous system stands as a testimony to the
merger of efficiency and technology, eliminating concerns over sludge build-up
and manual cleaning.”
Andium utilizes infrared
tech and automation. They can also monitor water haulers for truck tank levels
and saltwater dumping. This can also help to optimize water hauling schedules.
Flare Monitoring
Andium’s flare monitoring
tech uses similar infrared components and an automated platform as the tank monitoring
system and offers 24/7 pilot light monitoring. It can also use optical imaging
for methane. Applications include 1) Flare On/Off Status and Time Tracking, 2) Black
Smoke Monitoring, 3) Pilot Light Outage Alerts, and 4) Detection of "Rain
Outs.” Flare efficiency can be calculated and monitored. Andium can also handle
Method 22 reporting which requires visual evaluation of flares.
Flare Pilot Light Monitoring
One issue that has
come up often is pilot lights for flares going out. Thus, there is a need for
effective pilot light monitoring. With new regulations to reduce flaring
intensity, this becomes even more important. The EPA has been doing flyovers in
the Permian Basin to look for leaks and now there are several satellites that
can detect methane. The state of New Mexico has new flaring regs.
“If you manage
flare stacks in New Mexico, you will need to have a pilot light monitoring
system within a few months. If you don’t, you could not only face heavy fines
but the facility in violation of the regulations will be shut in.”
“There are several ways to monitor your pilot lights.
Some of these methods need to be replaced often. They force you to shut down
your location to install intrusive hardware. Others require staff to constantly
watch your sites. With the right equipment you can avoid these costly and
frustrating obstacles. Let’s look at the methods to track pilot lights.”
There are three
main methods to monitor pilot lights: thermocouples, ultraviolet sensors, and
infrared imaging devices. Thermocouples are common but have significant
drawbacks. They must be installed on each flare which means many of them must
be deployed and they have a high failure rate due to susceptibility to
corrosion. Removing and installing them requires shut-down, labor, and time. Ultraviolet
sensors are often used to monitor flames inside furnaces but are less
effective at monitoring flare pilot lights. They are also subject to false
alarms, which can be minimized by deploying them closer to the flare. They also
must be watched for issues.
“Infrared devices do not need to be mounted on a flare
stack like thermocouples. You will not need to worry about a corrosive
environment for your devices or shutting down your process to install this
equipment.”
“These devices can be farther away from flare stacks than
UV sensors. Infrared is also much more accurate at detecting the pilot flame
than UV. Infrared devices are easily one of the best methods for detecting
pilot light outages.”
Methane Detection
Andium’s methane
detection tech uses AI and proprietary OGI sensor and lens technology. It detects
emissions as small as 10kg/hr. It is easy to install and has minimal
maintenance requirements. Machine learning is used for emissions event recognition
and as part of a self-calibration technology. They claim fewer false alarms,
which has been a drawback with some methane monitoring systems. Continuous emissions
monitoring offers better coverage and can gather data that suggests leak causes.
Liquid Leak Detection
Andium utilizes
proprietary algorithms to process both thermal and optical imaging. They claim
their solution results in improved safety, improved regulatory reporting, cost
savings, operational efficiency, and prevention of ecological disasters. The system
is fully automated and can easily distinguish rainwater from an oil spill.
Fire Detection
Andium’s fire
detection detects fire and smoke using the same cameras and AI/machine learning.
24/7 Monitoring and Safety During Flowback Periods
with Andium’s Dual Camera System
Andium can also
provide 24/7 monitoring during the flowback period of a well where leaks can be
dangerous.
Asset Tracking
Asset tracking in
this case involves monitoring a site for people detection, truck detection, animal
detection, anomaly detection (e.g. fires), daily count reports (e.g. daily
hauler truck counts), and the ability to track unauthorized activity in real time.
Andium can also provide all their services for midstream monitoring.
Automation and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT)
Adding intelligence
and connectivity to well pad and facilities monitoring can significantly
improve leak detection and response. Alerts can be sent and received in
real-time when there are issues, and those issues can be quantified to reasonable
extents with their dual-camera approach. As the monitoring industry has
developed further the price of sensors and hardware have dropped. IIOT allows
for unprecedented visibility and speed in detecting and defining issues so that
response and repair can be fast and effective. This will certainly become the
dominant trend in the industry and in related industries like refineries,
petrochemical plants, and many other industrial facilities. Some sensors can
detect potential equipment failures before they happen, thus preventing
potential leak and malfunction events. Low cost and ease of installation are
also important factors.
“In less than an hour, a company can have an Andium
device installed, activated, and monitoring a site without any additional
infrastructure or even involving IT.”
References:
Andium
(website). Andium | See Further
Efficiently
Monitoring Tank Levels: A Guide for Oil and Gas Operators. Andium. Blog. Andium
| See Further
IIoT
Drives Sustainability, Safety, Revenues in Energy. Andium. Blog. IIoT
Drives Sustainability, Safety, Revenues in Energy | Andium | See Further
Ensuring
Your Pilot Lights Always Work. Andium. Blog. Ensuring
Your Pilot Lights Always Work | Andium | See Further
Andium’s
Thermal Methane Tech Takes Oilfield from Dark Age to Golden Future. Jaxon
Caines. Hart Energy. November 12, 2024. Andium’s
Thermal Methane Tech Takes Oilfield from Dark Age to Golden Future | Hart
Energy
Method
22 Procedures For Conducting Rule 1155 Visible Emissions Observations. South
Coast Air Quality Management District. Microsoft
Word - METHOD_22_Procedures
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