Chief Engineer Stan Voynick and VP of sales Jeff Leake were joined by Jennifer Mattox, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Compliance Monitoring and inspections supervisor, to talk about optical gas imaging and methane emissions compliance and enforcement.
In this recorded webinar, Sierra-Olympia Chief Engineer Stan Voynick addresses how infrared cameras work, focusing on how high definition, midwave IR (MWIR) cameras such as the Ventus OGI operate for gas leak detection and visualization of methane and other hydrocarbon gases.
“When an optical gas imaging camera detects and visualizes gas, the plume “appears either as a dark kind of a shadow absorbing the brightness coming from behind it, or it may appear as a bright plume, if it’s hot gas and warmer than the background. Either way, these now exquisitely sensitive cameras can image, and pull out, and let us see what is not otherwise seen.”
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Jennifer Mattox presented her methane compliance staff’s experience with optical gas imaging infrared cameras for regulatory oversight in the several oil and gas production basins in her state. Their state compliance and enforcement team conducts 1200-1500 optical gas imaging inspections annually.
Colorado was one of the first states to adopt methane regulations in 2014 and, Jennifer noted, her state’s “regulatory environment is one of the most stringent in the country to date.“
Sierra-Olympia VP of Sales Jeff Leake’s talk featured video footage taken with the Ventus OGI demonstrating its detection of hydrocarbon gas leaks at varying distances from the leaks, in aerial, fixed-monitoring, ground-based, robotic, and handheld applications.
Ventus OGI Optical Gas Imaging Camera (scroll down to “Gallery”, choose “Ventus OGI from helicopter and stabilized gimbal”)
Optical Gas Imaging: A powerful problem solver for the oil and gas industry (scroll down to “Gallery”, choose OGI leak detection at 100+ meters)
Video and data captured by Sierra-Olympia’s Ventus OGI camera delivers critical information and documentation that can drive progress toward environmental goals, facilitate compliance with regulatory requirements, and prevent revenue loss. Ventus OGI was approved for inclusion on the Colorado AIMM (Approved Instrument Monitoring Method) in 2021. It has been third-party tested and deemed compliant with the NSPS (New Source Performance Standards) 40 CFR Subpart OOOOa standard in the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Methane Rule.
For more details and a remote demonstration of the Ventus OGI, please contact us.
We invite you to view the webinar recording, and reach us to learn more about Sierra-Olympia’s optical gas imaging for gas leak detection, and other infrared camera solutions.
SPEAKER BIOS
Stan Voynick, Chief Engineer, Sierra-Olympic
Stan Voynick entered the infrared camera industry in 1987 and was involved in developing one of the first commercially available Indium Antimonide (InSb) thermal imaging camera systems. Stan subsequently spent a couple of decades as a technical consultant and joined Sierra-Olympic as Chief Engineer in 2016.
Jeff Leake, VP of Sales, Sierra-Olympic
Jeff Leake is internationally known for his expertise in IR camera and optical gas imaging technology for the energy industry. He believes this gas leak detection practice is a powerful tool to improve the safety of communities and workplaces, enable industry alignment with emissions regulations, and prevent the revenue loss resulting from fugitive emissions.
Jennifer Mattox, Compliance Monitoring & Inspections Supervisor, CO Department of Public Health, & Environment (CDPHE)
Jennifer leads both the CDPHE’s inspection team overseeing air quality compliance for oil and gas, and the Approved Instrument Monitoring Methods AIMM team. The AIMM team evaluates new monitoring and detection technologies and works with the monitoring community regarding the use of these technologies.