In recent years, the realm of environmental monitoring has witnessed a monumental shift, thanks to the rapid advancements in space-based remote sensing technology. Satellites, now equipped with methane sensing capabilities, are uncovering previously invisible large emissions, particularly within the oil and gas sector. This newfound data availability has sparked a multitude of applications, leading to the emergence of contrasting narratives between public vs. private satellite methane data among various interest groups.
Responding to a decade-long trend of academic research revealing disparities between reported and independently measured emissions, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized regulations allowing accredited third parties to report detected methane plumes, directly impacting compliance, emissions reporting, and potentially altering the methane tax landscape for certain companies. Furthermore, alongside these regulatory shifts, the addition of new public datasets has introduced reputational risks. Media outlets frequently spotlight significant methane events linked to specific energy firms. Initiatives aimed at benchmarking and comparing companies using this data are already underway, with investors closely monitoring these developments.
Amidst these changes, operators grapple with a crucial query: What are the chances that our facilities will be identified by these emerging satellites? To delve into this inquiry, groundbreaking research conducted at Highwood Emissions Management explores the implications of publicly accessible satellite methane data and its potential ramifications for the energy sector.
Assessing Operator Exposure to Satellite Deployments
The recent launches of MethaneSAT and the Carbon Mapper Coalition’s Tanager satellites mark a significant milestone in space-based methane monitoring. These satellites, coupled with existing government instruments like Sentinel-2 and NASA’s EMIT, provide comprehensive spatial coverage of methane emissions globally. However, the minimum threshold for detection with these instruments suggests that only emissions of considerable magnitude can be identified.
Understanding operators’ vulnerability to satellite methane detection is paramount for industry stakeholders. By scrutinizing satellite technology attributes, emission frequencies, and magnitudes, operators can estimate their potential detection exposure.
Enter Encino Environmental Services, offering guidance and solutions to empower operators with proactive leak management strategies and defenses against unfounded claims. Through a groundbreaking partnership with SATLANTIS, a leader in satellite technology, Encino leverages the GEISAT-P satellite to enable upstream producers and midstream oil and gas companies to identify leaks that might otherwise go unnoticed.
The SATLANTIS satellites, weighing under 45 lbs., significantly reduce launch costs, making monitoring more cost-effective compared to traditional methods. With a multi-spectral optical payload on board, the telescope has a Visible (VNIR) 2-meter and 13-meter Infrared (SWIR) sight capability. This in addition to the agility feature which allows panning and back-scanning, provides the highest revisitation capability for satellite methane monitoring on the market today.
Encino Environmental Services integration of industry expertise with SATLANTIS’ precision measurement technologies supports industry efforts to enhance emissions performance, comply with regulations, and participate in initiatives like OGMP 2.0 aimed at methane emissions reduction. Together, we are ushering in a new era of responsible resource management and environmental stewardship.
About Encino Environmental Services
Formed in 2010 and headquartered in Houston, Texas, Encino Environmental Services, LLC is an emissions performance testing and monitoring firm that specializes in environmental consulting, combustion analysis, LDAR (leak detection and repair) services, and CEMS (continuous emissions monitoring systems) technology.
Equipment from SENSIA Solutions, a subsidiary of Encino, allows the integration of thermography and AI analytics for the leak detection and quantification (LDAQ) needs. Also, through its joint venture with Satlantis LLC, Encino hosts remote sensing technologies leveraging satellites for the monitoring of methane emissions, as well as advanced environmental data platforms for the measurement and minimization of emissions.
Encino supports permitting, regulatory compliance and strategic ESG initiatives across the U.S. covering all major oil and gas basins and select international markets.
As a service provider, we understand our role in helping clients meet their compliance obligations and achieve their environmental performance objectives. Whether you need one piece of the puzzle, or the entire picture, we can help design and tailor an emissions monitoring and performance program that fits your operational needs, corporate strategy, and budget.
