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Existing meters for measuring venting greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions are insufficiently accurate or prohibitively expensive. As a result, there is little information on actual flow rates into the atmosphere from various industrial venting sources. It is essential to quantify these sources’ flow rates because they represent either methane being released to the atmosphere or negation of the same. [1]
Ventbuster Instruments Inc. has been working on a solution for a cost-effective vent gas meter that can provide precise measurements from a variety of emission sources. Their latest technology, the Ventsentinel®, is positioned to fill this technological gap in the energy industry.
In spring 2022, Ventbuster Instruments Inc. presented the Ventsentinel® to Alberta Innovates and the Canadian Emissions Reduction Innovation Network (CERIN) for testing. It was successfully field trialled in Phase 1 of a project that sought to determine the operational utility of their commercial prototype Ventsentinel® and its accuracy over its calibrated flow range, at varying flow/emission rates, in both laboratory situations and actual field installations.
Figure 1. The Ventsentinel® flow test set-up. Source: CERIN
The project was a collaboration by many industry partners and tested the Ventsentinel® on many venting sources, including laboratory bench testing, CHOPS wells, compressor packing vents, and production tanks. In all test scenarios, the Ventsentinel® outperformed other technologies with an impressive low relative error, despite being trialled under adverse testing environments, extreme temperatures, and wide variations in flow rate. The Ventsentinel® was also uncompromised when exposed to impurities in solution gas streams.
The Ventsentinel® is an adaptation of Ventbuster Instruments’ innovative technology, the Ventbuster®. The project highlighted the requirement for more testing and calibrations to make the Ventsentinel® adaptable to all oil-field situations. Another conclusion from the project showed, while still in its development phase, the Ventsentinel® is unmatched in its accuracy and ability to provide intrinsically safe, direct, and continuous real-time measurement, with digitally recorded venting methane flow rates and pressures to the atmosphere.
Figure 2. The Ventsentinel® installed on tank. Source: CERIN
The Ventsentinel® is suitable for installation on wellheads, production tanks, produced water tanks, relief valves, vented underground tanks, compressor seals, instrument air compressors, fuel gas lines, flare lines or incinerators. Its design allows it to be mounted in line with any hydrocarbon point source to precisely measure and digitally record GHG emissions. The Ventsentinel® meets the requirements of all the AER Directive for gas measurement and monitoring.
The Ventsentinel® is expected to be available for commercial deployment by 2023.
Read the full project report HERE.
Contact Ventbuster Instruments for information on their products, email [email protected].
[1] Canada Emissions Reduction Innovation Network (CERIN) Public Report, May 2022. Source: https://www.cerinprojects.ca/projects/62b28aa32207c65652107d57
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