Methane: One of the most dangerous polluters hiding in plain sight

Faced with mounting pressure over climate change, businesses and governments worldwide have made reducing CO2 emissions a common feature of their net zero action plans. However, for years, another problem has been growing in its shadow: methane.

As the core component of natural gas, methane is a common byproduct of energy production and is a potent contributor to global warming, second only to CO2 in its impact on climate change. However, due its unique characteristics it is capable of trapping far more heat than CO2, with 28 times the global warming potential over a 100-year timescale. With methane concentrations in the atmosphere remaining stubbornly persistent, the need to act on this greenhouse gas is growing more pressing by the day.
Although natural sources such as wetlands account for a large proportion of methane emissions, human activity bears a much larger responsibility. Up to 60% of all global methane emissions are thought to come from anthropogenic sources, much of which stems from the energy sector. Data suggests that energy production is responsible for around a third of all human-caused methane emissions,[1] leaving oil and gas operators with the daunting task of leading efforts to address this problem.
 Recent years have seen the sector begin to wake up to this problem. Commitments made by energy operators last year to invest in infrastructure and repair leaks could, if rigorously adhered to, go a long way towards finally bringing down the stubbornly persistent methane emissions figures. However, without significant improvements in how data on methane is collected, this will be easier said than done. Decades of inaction and poor monitoring practices have led to a picture of global methane emissions that could be described as incomplete at best, rendering it difficult to effectively target action.
Advancements in gas detection technologies will be key to overcoming this problem. Today’s energy sector has access to more options than ever for monitoring harmful gases like methane across their infrastructure networks, enabling fast and efficient action to address it. Connected networks of infrared (IR) devices are already providing a more accurate picture of methane emissions than ever before, providing a powerful tool for addressing one of the most dangerous greenhouse gases.
 

In plain sight

Methane represents an essential resource in the modern energy production landscape but comes with significant drawbacks. As a colourless, odourless substance, it is invisible to the naked eye and the spectral range used by many monitoring satellites, render leaks difficult to detect without specialist equipment. Combined with the vast infrastructure networks in the energy sector, finding the source of leaks to conduct repairs can be almost impossible.
The hidden nature of the methane threat poses a significant risk to health and safety. Exposure to methane has been linked to a wide range of health conditions, with severe cases often being fatal. In high enough concentrations, methane also presents an explosive risk. Preventing emissions is therefore essential to protecting employees and equipment alike.
Methane has a well-documented impact on global warming due to its high heat-trapping potential. At the same time, the atmospheric lifespan of methane is much shorter, typically only lasting 7-12 years in the air as opposed to centuries. This means that rapid action on methane presents one of the best available methods for improving air quality and addressing the global warming problem.
 

Improving understanding

However, this path forward is complicated by the fact that businesses still do not possess an exact understanding of how much methane is being released into the atmosphere. The existing picture of methane emissions is regrettably inconsistent. Significant discrepancies exist between official records of the amount of natural gas released into the atmosphere, and of measurements taken by industry bodies.  
International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates suggest that almost 120 million tonnes of methane were released by the fossil fuel industry in 2023 and 10 million tonnes more were released by bioenergy – but these figures are projections based on reported emissions, which are often inaccurate. In many parts of the world, measurements of emissions are rarely founded on data, with total emissions reported to the UN Convention on Climate Change about 50% smaller than IEA estimates.
Clearly, this lack of information presents a problem. Methane leaks can happen almost anywhere across oil and gas infrastructure that most oil and gas companies operate, meaning large areas need to be inspected for prevention efforts to be effective. Often, these emissions occur in the form of accidental leaks during production and transport. Flaring and venting activity represent other common sources of emissions, with significant quantities of methane either released or burned up as part of essential operating procedures.
Although some of these leaks are almost impossible to control, this makes it all the more important to act on those that can be controlled. To effectively target action on methane, operators need to understand where leaks are occurring. Increasing the quality of data on methane emissions through robust gas detection technology will be key to achieving this.
 

IR solutions

Advancements in sensor technology mean the picture of methane emissions is slowly being filled in. In particular, the advent of small form factor, cost-effective IR technology presents an invaluable opportunity to increase visibility over energy infrastructure.
 Although methane is invisible to the human eye, cameras that operate in IR wavelengths can detect its distinct IR absorption lines. This means that IR-equipped satellites can be used to detect methane plumes from oil and gas operations from space, or smaller monitors can be deployed on the ground to provide accurate overviews of emissions at production facilities. Many of these sensors are based on technology known as laser absorption spectroscopy.
 Laser absorption spectroscopy represents one of the most promising solutions to help oil and gas businesses build their data on methane. This technology exploits how gases respond to IR light to provide highly selective and sensitive gas detection, passing an IR beam to a detector through a chamber containing the sample gas and a precision filter. The filter enables certain wavelengths to continue on, only blocking those that are not absorbed by the gas being monitored. Any gas present between the beam and detector will absorb the IR light, disrupting the beam and enabling operators to precisely determine quantities of gas with sensitivity in the range of parts per billion.
Along with its low cost, the primary benefits of this technology are its flexibility and adaptability. IR detectors are suitable for use in fixed, portable, and personal formats, meaning they can easily be deployed where required across energy infrastructure. Most are resistant to heat, humidity, and vibration, making them ideal for use regardless of local conditions. Meanwhile, the precision with which they operate mean these devices do not require gases to be present in concentrations beyond the lower explosive limit.
Filter technology is central to the performance of spectroscopy techniques – specifically, the coating used on it. Coating characteristics determine how suitable filters are for any given application, and advances in this field have significantly increased the scalability of laser absorption spectroscopy, making the technology cheaper and more accessible. As analytical devices reduce in cost, certain filter suppliers are helping OEMs improve the functionality of their devices at a reduced cost. At the same time, advanced filters are opening new opportunities for
gas detection devices to be used in novel ways across the
energy sector.
 

Effective action on methane

The oil and gas industry has been identified as one of the sectors with the most potential to act on methane. Energy companies are already configured to profit from preventing emissions by selling recaptured methane - billions of dollars’ worth of natural gas are lost to environmental factors and anthropogenic sources each year, and capturing this gas could prevent significant value from literally vanishing into thin air.
 Estimates suggest that a one-off investment of $11 billion could eliminate around 75% of all methane leaks worldwide.

[2] According to the IEA, approximately 40% of all methane emissions from fossil fuels could be prevented at no net cost
to business, rising to 50% specifically in the oil and natural
gas sectors.
Faced with this reality – and the looming threat of climate change – the path forward on methane should be clear. Gas detection technology represents a low-cost, straightforward way for the energy sector to begin tackling greenhouse gases, curbing methane emissions and slowing global warming. Embracing the data provided by high-performance IR devices enables businesses to take more informed action, targeting investments and repairs where they are most needed for maximum impact. Thanks to this technology, all the tools required to turn a corner on methane are already available today.
 

References

[1] International Energy Agency (2024), Global Methane Tracker 2024
[2] https://www.iea.org/reports/the-energy-security-case-for-tackling-gas-flaring-and-methane-leaks