Carbon Capture Utilization & Storage (CCUS)

Use of Laser Based – Open Path Gas Detection

For Carbon Capture Utilization & Storage (CCUS) Projects, there will be at least three (3) requirements:

Measurement, Monitoring, & Verification (MMV) Plan:

Around the Injection Well, there will be a requirement for Atmospheric Monitoring to ensure that there is no fugitive Carbon Dioxide (CO2) unknowingly escaping. Laser Based – Open Path Gas Detection is the ideal technology the not only provides the Quantifiable Volumetric Measurement required but has the Dynamic Measurement Range to detect both Incipient and Discrete Leaks.

Risk Mitigation (Safety):

According to the Semi-Quantitative Analysis used within ISA TR84, the following applications are considered to be what is called a Grade ‘A’ High Hazard Rank Application: Compressor Areas/Buildings, Compressors Heat Exchangers, and Injection Skids/Wells. In each of these applications, Laser Based – Open Path Gas Detection enables the Fire & Gas Safety (FGS) System to achieve the Risk Mitigation Targets.

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG):

There very well be farms, acreages, or residences locations within a close proximity to Injection Wells. Laser Based – Open Path Gas Detection is the ideal tool to assure your neighbor’s that you’re using the best available technology to rapidly and reliably detect losses of containment that may effect them. Laser Based – Open Path Gas Detection has been extensively used by asset owners to ensure stakeholders (i.e., neighbors) are both heard and met.

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Applications

FIELD PROVEN EXPERIENCE

Below are the applications for Carbon Capture Utilization & Storage (CCUS) that Laser Based – Open Path Gas Detection has been proven.

  • Compressor Areas/Buildings

    Process:

    • During the process of capturing the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) from the Flue Gas it later needs to be processed and compressed so it then can be stored.

     

    Challenge:

    • Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is compressed to high pressures and if a leak were to occur inside a process building, Traditional – Fixed Point Gas Detectors would easily be flooded, fouled, and poisoned.
    • Due to the number of detectors required, it may be cost prohibitive to purchase, design, build infrastructure, install, and deal with the perpetual maintenance burden of Traditional – Fixed Point Gas Detectors.
    • Traditional – Fixed Point Gas Detectors provide no feedback indicating that they’re operational. In most cases, these sensors will fail to zero and the end-user will only know this if they bump, test, or challenge the system with actual target gas.

     

    Drivers/Stakeholders:

    • Maintenance/Operations: Due to the toxicity of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and the almost pure concentration within the process, it is of critical importance maintenance and operational personnel know that they product that can provide as early warning of a leak a possible.
    • Health & Safety Executive (HSE) Stakeholders: With the quantitative measurements of Laser Based – Open Path Gas Detection, Industrial Health & Hygienists can passively monitor the area to ensure the proper policies, procedures, and PPE are being used.
    • Leak Detection & Repair (LDAR): In addition to Governmental and Industry Regulations requiring periodic inspection for leaks, this equipment can passively monitor 24 hours a day and 365 days a year notifying operations about small incipient leaks.

     

    Opportunity:

    • Unlike Traditional – Fixed Point Gas Detection (e.g. Electro-Chemical or Catalytic Bead Sensor), Laser Based – Open Path Gas Detection can handle continuous exposure to high concentrations of gas without any degradation to performance or lifespan.
    • Laser Based – Open Path Gas Detection quickly identifies small leaks before they become larger more dangerous ones.
    • Reduce your Maintenance Burden while increasing operations/maintenances faith in equipment that very well may save their lives.
    • Leak Detection & Repair (LDAR):In addition to Governmental and Industry Regulations requiring periodic inspection for leaks, this equipment can passively monitor 24 hours a day and 365 days a year notifying operations about small incipient leaks (e.g. packing of a valve, seal on a pump, etc.).

     

    Major Points of Emphasis:

    • Increased Odds of Detection: The large area coverage, fast speed of response, and low end detection thresholds provide the end-user with the earliest possible warning in the event of a leak or release.
    • Discrete Leak Detection: This technology will survive continuous and/or very high concentrations of gas where Traditional Technologies will become poisoned, flooded, and fouled.
    • No Calibration and No Intervention: This is due to the GasFinder’s Internal Reference Cell.
    • Fail-Safe Design: Sophisticated Diagnostics with no undisclosed failure modes.
  • Compressor's Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger

    Process:

    • To cool the compressed and collected flue gas, the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is passed through a Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger.

     

    Challenge:

    • There are logistical challenges to placing monitoring equipment above the louvers of heat exchangers. The high temperatures and high air velocity make using Traditional – Fixed Point Gas Detection challenging, if not impossible.

     

    Drivers/Stakeholders:

    • Over time, there can be degradation to the integrity of the Tube Bundles within the exchanger which can eventually cause a loss of containment and result in Carbon Dioxide (CO2) unknowingly being emitted. This can be a concern to a number of individuals such as Operations/Engineering, Reliability/Maintenance, and Health & Safety Executive (HSE) Stakeholders.
    • There maybe Governmental, Industry, or Community pressure on the operator to ensure that there are no undetected losses of containment.

     

    Opportunity:

    • By using Laser Based – Open Path Gas Detection, the Open Path (OPX) Head and Retro-Reflector can be mounted in accessible locations and outside of the hot flue of gas being trusted out of the exchanger.
    • Since the laser beam is the only portion of the Gas Detector that comes into contact with the hot flue the end-user does not need to worry about reduced life-span of the equipment.
    • In the case of a leak from the Tubing Bundle within the Heat Exchanger, the extremely turbulent air from the fans and tubing bundles will help to rapidly expand the plume to make detection of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) by one or two Laser Based – Open Path Gas Detectors easily possible.

     

    Major Points of Emphasis:

    • Robustness: Laser Based – Open Path Gas Detection thrives where Traditional Gas Detection Technologies do not survive (i.e. very hot application).
    • No Calibration and No Intervention: This is due to the GasFinder’s Internal Reference Cell.
    • Large Area Coverage and Speed of Response: Provides exceptional coverage and significantly increases the odds of detection.
    • Fail-Safe Design: Sophisticated Diagnostics with no undisclosed failure modes.
  • Injection Skid and Well

    Process:

    • The compressed Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is transported via pipeline to the Injection Well. There are two main pieces of process equipment: Injection Skid and the Injection Well.

     

    Challenge:

    • Large Area Coverage Requirements: The typical size of Injection Well is around 100 m x 100 m (3oo ft x 300 ft) to 200 m x 2o0 m (600 ft x 600 ft).
    • Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide (CO2): There are Diurnal and Seasonal variations that cause the concentrations to fluctuate from 400 to 1,000 ppm.
    • Quantifiable Volumetric Measurement: The measuring device needs to able to measure Carbon Dioxide (CO2) free from any other interferences and be able to provide accurate  measurements.
    • Dynamic Measurement Range: In addition to measuring large quantities of atmospheric Carbon Dioxide (CO2), there is also the requirement for measuring both Incipient and Discrete Leaks.

     

    Drivers/Stakeholders:

    • Measurement, Monitoring, & Verification (MMV) Plan: Around the Injection Skids and Wells, there will be a requirement for Atmospheric Monitoring to ensure that there is no fugitive Carbon Dioxide (CO2) unknowingly escaping. Laser Based – Open Path Gas Detection is the ideal technology the not only provides the Quantifiable Volumetric Measurement required but has the Dynamic Measurement Range to detect both Incipient and Discrete Leaks.
    • Risk Mitigation: According to the Semi-Quantitative Analysis used within ISA TR84, the following applications are considered to be what is called a Grade ‘A’ High Hazard Rank Application: Compressor Areas/Buildings, Compressors Heat Exchangers, and Injection Skids/Wells. In each of these applications, there are requirements based upon Geographic Area Coverage, Safety Availability, and Mitigation Action Effectiveness prevent Traditional – Fixed Point Gas Detectors from enabling the Effectiveness of the Fire & Gas Safety (FGS) System from achieving the Risk Reduction Factor (RRFs) required to Mitigate enough Risk. In each of these applications, Laser Based – Open Path Gas Detection enables the Fire & Gas Safety (FGS) System to achieve the Risk Mitigation Targets.

     

    Opportunity:

    • Satisfy all of your requirements for both the Measurement, Monitoring, & Verification (MMV) Plan and Risk Mitigation with Laser Based – Open Path Gas Detection.

     

    Major Points of Emphasis:

    • Geographic Area Coverage: Increases the Probability of Detection  and offers the greatest return on improving the Risk Reduction Factor (RRF).
    • Safety Availability: Use a SIL2 Suitable and Fail-Safe Device that survives leaks and releases of gas.
    • Mitigation Action Effectiveness: Prioritize being able to Alarm Faster and at Lower Concentrations.