Oil and gas industry safety

Edited by the Manufacturingtalk editorial team Oct 12, 2006

Ultrasonic gas leak detection - becoming an important part of fixed hydrocarbon gas detection systems throughout the world.

Since 1996 Innova Gassonic has marketed and distributed ultrasonic gas leak detection and the technology has now become part of the enhanced focus on safety in the oil and gas industry.

Ultrasonic gas leak detection is now being installed as an integrated part of safety systems in LNG facilities and for both on and offshore gas processing plants.

The ultrasonic gas leak detection technology is currently being specified by major oil and gas producers for projects all over the world.

Expanding from its initial involvement in numerous projects in Europe and the North Sea, recent international project locations include: the Cannonball Project in Trinidad, the Pohokura Project in New Zealand, and several locations in the Caspian Sea region including the AGT Pipeline Projects in Azerbaijan and Sakhalin II in Russia.

In addition, a large number of Innova Gassonic detectors were installed on the Oman LNG project at the request of the Oman National Petroleum Corporation (PDO).

Ultrasonic gas leak detectors are being integrated into conventional fixed gas detection systems on unmanned gas platforms, compression platforms, in both onshore and offshore wellhead areas with new applications continually arising in process areas.

Innova Gassonic's detectors instantly detect gas leaks as small as 0.1 kg/sec at distances up to 12 meters from the leak source, regardless of ambient conditions, changing wind direction or fast dilution of the gas cloud.

Conditions that may prevent traditional technologies such as Open Path or Fixed Point from detecting the escaping gas, causing a large proportion of leaks to go un-noticed.

Ultrasonic gas leak detection can be used either as stand-alone or as a supplement to traditional fixed gas detection systems.

With in excess of 2000 units installed, the success of the Gassonic MM0100 and Gassonic Observer is spreading and it is positioned to encroach even further into this specialist market.