Methane Detection and Monitoring
At IO Aerospace, one of our specialized services is rapid wide area mapping, designed to support methane detection and monitoring efforts. We work with your team to execute a custom solution that can help identify sites that you may or may not know about.
Monitoring methane levels is crucial for assessing its global warming potential and understanding its role in climate change. Detecting and quantifying emissions is the first step in targeted reduction efforts and is vital for regulatory compliance. Accurate detection and quantification are essential for maintaining air quality, protecting public health, conserving ecosystems, and promoting resource efficiency.
Our specially modified aircraft delivers precise and reliable data quickly, covering any target area to provide actionable insights. The image displayed here visually represents methane emissions from a gathering pipeline . The leak source, plume, and concentration of the plume, all of which are essential for identifying and addressing emissions, are clearly visible. Detection and quantification are the precursors to action in mitigating rogue methane emissions.
Understanding Methane
Methane (CH4) is a potent greenhouse gas, trapping 84 times more heat than carbon dioxide (CO2) in its first 20 years after release. In 2022, atmospheric methane levels rose significantly to an average of 1,912 ppb, marking the fourth-largest annual increase since systematic measurements began in 1983. This 14 ppb increase follows record growth in 2020 and 2021, pushing methane levels to more than two and a half times their pre-industrial levels. (Source: NOAA)
Methane emissions come from various sources, including landfills, wetlands, livestock, and industrial activities raising growing concerns. Unlike CO2 pollution, which often originates from identifiable sources like smokestacks and tailpipes, methane can be harder to identify and address effectively. Given this rapid increase in atmospheric methane, investigating its sources and impacts is more crucial than ever.
Monitoring methane levels is essential for assessing its contribution to global warming and climate change. Detecting and quantifying emissions are the first steps toward targeted reduction efforts and ensuring regulatory compliance. Accurate detection and quantification are essential for maintaining air quality, protecting public health, conserving ecosystems, and promoting resource efficiency.
In the United States, natural gas and petroleum systems are the second-largest source of CH4 emissions. Methane is emitted into the atmosphere during the production, processing, storage, transmission, distribution, and use of natural gas, and the production, refinement, transportation, and storage of crude oil.
In 2022, methane accounted for 12% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from human activities.
The Aircraft Advantage:
Airborne Detection and Quantification
During the 2023 summer acquisition season, IO Aerospace mapped over 750,000 km² of area suspected of having significant methane emissions. Equipped with an onboard imaging spectrometer, our team is capable of detecting and quantifying methane leaks in oil and gas plants, pipelines, landfills, cattle feedlots, and other methane-producing assets.
With our decades of experience operating remote sensing systems worldwide and delivering data at scale, IO Aerospace offers repeat imaging and monitoring of suspected methane-emitting sites globally. The quantified analysis and change-over-time data can be invaluable for reducing methane emissions and tracking progress over time.
Methane emissions – whether from intentional vents or unintentional leaks – amount to $1 billion in lost commercial value for energy producers. The annual cost rises to $10 billion when researchers account for harm to the economy and human well-being caused by adding heat-trapping methane effects to Earth’s atmosphere.
Our high-speed approach enables us to quickly cover vast areas, making it easier to identify regions with potentially high emissions. Additionally, we can target specific facilities with high-resolution imaging to obtain more detailed data. At IO Aerospace, our goal is to provide accurate and efficient methane monitoring to support emission reduction efforts and promote environmental sustainability.
Fast, Wide-area Coverage
For a Sustainable Future
Using a specially modified aircraft, IO Aerospace provides advanced mapping services with fast, wide-area coverage. Our team tailor-crafts solutions to help clients identify, quantify, and reduce methane emissions, supporting regulatory compliance and environmental sustainability. With global coverage and real-time data, we enable clients to combat climate change.