LONDON (Reuters) – BP is introducing continuous monitoring of methane leaks at new oil and gas projects using drones and surveillance cameras, in a bid to cut emissions of the potent greenhouse gas to near zero.
The technology, which could encompass BP’s entire output within a decade or so, comes as the oil and gas industry faces mounting pressure from investors and activists to cut heat-trapping emissions to meet 2015 Paris Climate Agreement goals.
BP recently launched a drone from the Shetland Islands in northern Scotland to detect and measure methane emissions from its Clair platform, located nearly 100 km offshore.
“Remote facilities can be monitored from very close up,” Birrell said. “It is quite a game-changer in terms of methane detection.”
”It is quite a game-changer in terms of methane detection.
BP will also deploy the technologies at a number of existing production facilities, including in Oman and Azerbaijan.
Reporting by Ron Bousso; Editing by Jan Harvey
