Natural gas companies aim to surpass regulatory goals with OGI cameras

Scenario

Summit Midstream is a US based energy production company that develops and operates infrastructure assets in unconventional resource basins, primarily shale formations. Its operations include custody transfer facilities, gathering pipelines, compression and processing facilities, and transmission pipelines to final delivery points.

As part of its regulatory compliance obligations, and for in-house leak detection, Summit decided to invest in several OGI cameras. The critical nature of these important energy production assets requires rugged technology that will be able to detect minimal gas leaks, meet environmental standards such as the recently released OOOOa, and have the most stringent operational safety requirements.

Solution

Summit decided to opt for the EyeCGas camera as one of their OGI cameras in the field. OOOOa compliant, ATEX Class I and II Div. 2 certified, and ruggedised to IP65, EyeCGas is sensitive enough to detect a very small leak even at a distance. While Summit Midstream was familiar with OGI technology and had been using it for some time, the company identified EyeCGas as unique due to several features that include extremely safe electronics, excellent viewing capabilities, and overall sturdiness.

Dakota Lee, VP Eastern Operations at Summit Midstream, said: “The Opgal equipment has a number of features that set it apart. While translating directly to ease of operation, these features also expand the scope of coverage.”

Success

After months in the field it is clear that the EyeCGas cameras perform well, providing effective coverage of the facilities and infrastructure, and meeting customer expectations with their gas leak detection capabilities. The regulatory compliance team is able to survey the various sites from a safe distance, receiving real time imaging of the conditions at every point of the production process.

Eric Fritsching, Pipeline Operator at Summit Midstream, said: “Training requirements were minimal and the camera’s operation is relatively simple. I prefer the Opgal EyeCGas camera because of its intuitive functionality.”

Summit Midstream now has four of Opgal’s EyeCGas OGI cameras, that are used across their full span of midstream infrastructure assets for regulatory compliance and in-house leak detection. EyeCGas affords site operators the ability to proactively reduce fugitive emissions, repair components, and improve their bottom line, by keeping product where it belongs.