Decarbonisation Technology - February 2024 Issue

they must ensure those systems are well- defended against ever- evolving cyber threats, as such threats have disrupted oil and gas operations worldwide. Furthermore, if an attack compromises a company’s industrial safety systems, it can have physical consequences, putting people in danger and the environment at risk. Cybersecurity frameworks (CSFs) such as the US National

Companies need to have accurate data to track their emissions reduction

Case study: Addressing emissions and operator safety Once an oil and gas company establishes its emissions baseline, it can identify the top sources of carbon emissions in its operations and create strategies to address them. For oil and gas companies, one of those strategies is to look for ways to transition applications from heavy carbon-based fuels to cleaner ones. A leading energy company did this when it decided to change how it actuated the valves in its pipelines in the US. The company had been using two methods for valve actuation: fuel gas and hydraulics. Powering the gas-actuated valves involved venting gas directly from the pipeline into the atmosphere, which resulted in hydrocarbon emissions. The hydraulically actuated valves required operators to be on site each time they were tested. Moreover, because the valves were in remote locations, operators had to drive several hours and traverse treacherous roads to test them. The energy company wanted to replace both valve-actuation methods with one new solution to support its environmental goals and reduce fieldwork for employees. It chose an off-grid system that used solar-powered compressors. The new solution eliminated the hydrocarbon emissions generated by fuel-gas-powered systems. It also helped get operators off the road, providing safety and sustainability benefits. Today, operators can remotely open and close the valves and view system health

Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) CSF provide good standards for automation systems. They give oil and gas companies a roadmap for managing supplier risks. Working with suppliers that comply with international security standards, such as IEC 62443, to ensure systems are cyber-safe can also help oil and gas companies reduce cyber risks in their supply chain. Once a foundation for seamless and secure data flow is in place, a company can layer on applications to get the full picture of its carbon footprint. Many oil and gas producers today cannot quantify the carbon impact of flared gas because it is difficult to identify and measure the mix of gases that went into a flare. Modelling tools that can provide this information are now available. The tools can visually inspect a flare cloud to help identify both the composition of what went into the flare and how much carbon was created from it. Similarly, while leak detection is not a new capability in oil and gas, modern technologies can help companies detect leaks sooner and understand their carbon impacts. Smart sensors, for example, can identify the location of a leak and quantify its methane concentration to provide an accurate measurement of how much gas is being lost per hour. Laser-based cameras can not only identify the location of leaks but also detect them at levels as small as 0.2kg per hour.