Methane Leak Detection

Shell says it cut methane emissions at its QGC gas operation in Queensland, Australia, by about 50% from 2016 to the end of 2025, using improved monitoring and more data for well maintenance and leak detection and repair.

Monitoring combines satellites for wide areas, aircraft that scan sites more closely, drones for specific areas and handheld surveys for leaks. Drones fly downwind of about 3,500 production wells, 25 gas compression stations and six processing plants across QGC sites, using methane and wind sensors to trace emissions to equipment such as valves, flanges, tanks and compressors.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates methane’s warming impact is about 30 times that of carbon dioxide over 100 years, which makes leak detection a fast way to slow near-term warming.