In 2019, the European Union developed a “green deal” to help mitigate troubles associated with the buildup of greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere. Several years later, in July 2021, the European Commission presented a strategy specifically aimed at lowering the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions. Named Fit for 55, this regulation had a goal of reducing methane emissions by 55% by the year 2030. (While carbon dioxide (CO2) is a more prevalent greenhouse gas, methane (CH4) traps more heat in the atmosphere per molecule than carbon dioxide does, making methane 80 times more harmful than CO2 for 20 years after it is released. Hence, the directive’s emphasis on CH4 regulation.)
According to a statement released by the Council of the European Union, the Fit for 55 regulation introduces new requirements for the oil, gas and coal sectors to measure, report and verify methane emissions, as well as put in place mitigation measures to avoid such emissions, including detecting and repairing methane leaks and limiting venting and flaring. It also puts forward global monitoring tools to ensure transparency on methane emissions from imports of oil, gas and coal into the EU, meaning that these EU regulations could affect oil and gas producers in other parts of the world that deliver their products into the EU region.
As of November 2023, the provisional agreement still needed to be endorsed and formally adopted by both the EU Council and Parliament, but all reports have expressed that these votes seem to be a mere formality. (By the time you’re reading this, they may have passed already.)
The USA already has similar regulations regarding methane, as do other countries like Taiwan and South Korea. Since facilities in the US have already been effectively monitoring methane leaks for years, oil and gas companies in the European Union can look to their American counterparts to find instrumentation and techniques that will allow them to meet the impending new standards.
In a section of US’ formal code of federal regulations referred to as 40 CFR Part 60, also known as the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), is a set of federal regulations established by the EPA to minimize air pollution from various industries, including the petroleum sector. To curtail methane leaks, 40 CFR Part 60 mandates the use of monitoring systems to detect and quantify emissions. The key components of the regulation include Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) programs, monitoring requirements, and reporting obligations.
Monitoring Methods
Facilities must employ approved monitoring methods, such as infrared cameras or optical gas imaging, to identify leaks accurately. While cameras or optical gas imaging systems are easy to implement, they are not as sensitive or accurate as some other leak detection methods like toxic vapor analyzers or TVAs.
By all indications, the Fit for 55 standards will break down the regulations into what are known as Type 1 and Type 2 surveys. Type 1 would be more gross leak detection and repair surveys, which have broader range but lower accuracy, so they can find the larger leaks quickly. These Type 1 surveys should be able to use technologies like optical gas imaging cameras and laser UV to do the job. Type 2 surveys, on the other hand, are aimed at finding lower level leaks, and so would necessitate instrumentation capable of higher accuracy.
It is for these lower-level Type 2 leaks where an instrument like a toxic vapor analyzer really stands out. A toxic vapor analyzer is compact enough that it can be carried around in a backpack or a shoulder pack. A small handheld wand is used for the collection of sample at the point(s) of interest. The probe can be used to monitor all around the circumference of a pipe, or at the juncture of a flange, or any other possible failure point. In some instances, technicians have attached the probes to extension rods that are several meters in length. This allows them to monitor areas and detect leaks that would otherwise be out of reach or potentially unsafe. There are, of course, enhanced probes available with digital readouts or standard probes that utilize Bluetooth connectivity to a portal handheld device for ease of operator use.
The key to all of this is, under the new EU Fit for 55 regulations, oil and gas lines are going to need to be monitored for leaks large and small. LDAR is going to be essential at any point where there is a potential for a methane leak: compressors, junctions, branches off a pipe, etc. With a portable, accurate instrument like a toxic vapor analyzer, those key points could be identified, tagged as part of a monitoring route, and then assessed on a quarterly basis or possibly even more frequently. Instituting proper LDAR practices now will ensure that companies meet the most up-to-date European Union emissions guidelines no matter when they are enacted.
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