Analysis of the Prospects of Application of Natural Gas Leak Detection Methods to Increase the Efficiency of Atmospheric Air Monitoring at HTS Facilities

Abstract

The activities of the oil and gas industry enterprises, in particular the objects of gas transportation systems (GTS), are accompanied by a significant anthropogenic impact on the environment. The atmospheric air itself is significantly affected, since many technological processes are accompanied by emissions of natural gas (organized, unorganized and emergency) and, as a result, a significant amount of volatile substances, many of which are dangerous and harmful, enter the atmosphere. There is a wide range of methods for detecting gas leaks from elements of gas transportation systems. Ways of classifying methods directly depend on the features that form the basis of their distribution. However, the insufficient definition of the classification features, their "one-sidedness" do not allow a full assessment of the shortcomings and advantages of certain methods and means, and, therefore, the possibility of their application to increase the effectiveness of atmospheric air monitoring at HTS facilities in order to ensure environmental safety. The main tasks solved in this article are the formulation of the optimal classification of existing methods of controlling the presence of gas leaks in terms of applicability in environmental monitoring systems of atmospheric air; analysis of their advantages and disadvantages; substantiation of the expediency and perspective of using these means and methods to ensure constant monitoring of the state of atmospheric air at GTS facilities. A classification of methods and means of control is proposed based on the level of application of technical means, according to which all methods are divided into organoleptic, hardware and computational (software-mathematical). According to the results of the analysis of the data of the groups, it was determined that, from the point of view of the prospects of application in the atmospheric air quality monitoring systems at the GTS facilities, hardware means, namely gas analyzers, have the most advantages.