Methane Technical Section Q&A: From Pilots to Policy—How Operators Are Scaling Emission Measurement

Oil and gas operators play a major role in mitigating methane emissions. They do this by detecting, measuring, quantifying, and reducing activities, all enabled by technologies that promise to deliver value to the users. All sectors are needed to control and minimize methane emissions. Any break in this chain, or weakness in any link, results in less-than-optimum methane emissions mitigation results.

Aramco set out to quantify and reduce its methane emissions, recognizing that you cannot control that which you cannot measure. And Aramco has been successful in meeting its ambition to reach near-zero methane intensity.

Ioannis Alexiou is a climate and sustainability consultant with Aramco, working on the company’s efforts to detect and reduce methane emissions. He holds an MS degree in informatics from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and a bachelor’s degree in meteorology from the Hellenic Air Force Academy.

Dmytro Orel is a lead environmental scientist with Aramco, working on the company’s efforts to monitor, measure, report, and minimize methane emissions. He holds an MS degree in environmental science from Lviv Polytechnic National University.

MTS: How did methane emissions management start at Aramco?

Alexiou: Aramco’s historical efforts to manage methane emissions are rooted in decades of infrastructure investment and the institutionalization of rigorous technical standards. Long before methane reduction became a global focal point, the company initiated the Master Gas System (MGS) in 1975. Operational by 1977, the MGS was a landmark project designed to capture associated gas from oil production—gas that was traditionally flared across the industry. By creating an integrated network to process and transport this gas for domestic industrial use, Aramco’s gas flaring status is below 1% of the total raw gas production, fundamentally decoupling hydrocarbon production from routine methane venting and flaring.

Technical Infrastructure and Monitoring Systems

The company’s sustained performance is further driven by advanced flare monitoring and recovery technologies. Aramco utilizes a Corporate Flaring Monitoring System, managed through its Fourth Industrial Revolution Center. This system provides real-time oversight using high-precision ultrasonic flowmeters and valve-characteristic calculations to ensure accurate emissions accounting. Complementing this is the strategic deployment of Flared Gas Recovery Systems (FGRS). These units have been installed across onshore and offshore sites to capture “base flaring” gases, compressing and reinjecting them into the process stream rather than allowing them to be combusted or vented.

Institutionalizing Excellence: Standards and Maintenance

Methane management at Aramco is not merely an operational choice but a requirement dictated by internal engineering standards. Key among these are the Saudi Aramco Engineering Procedures and Standards, which mandate site-specific Flaring Minimization Plans and govern the development of real-time monitoring platforms. These standards ensure that every facility, regardless of age or location, adheres to the same high benchmarks of containment.

The reliability of these systems is upheld by a robust maintenance and leak detection and repair (LDAR) program. Since 2018, Aramco has scaled its LDAR activities to include optical gas imaging (OGI) cameras and a network of satellites (such as the GHGSat constellation) to identify fugitive leaks. This multilayered approach allows the company to proactively address small leaks before they escalate into significant emission events, ensuring the integrity of operations on hundreds of processing units and day-to-day activities.

Strategic Global Engagement

Aramco’s internal successes are reflected in its external leadership through the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI). As a founding member, the company has played a pivotal role in establishing the common methane target intensity—a benchmark set by OGCI members to achieve an aggregate upstream methane intensity of well below 0.2% by 2025. Aramco has consistently demonstrated industry-leading performance in this area; as of its 2024 disclosures, the company reported an upstream methane intensity of 0.04%, significantly outperforming the collective OGCI target.

This OGCI engagement serves as a vital platform for Aramco to share its technical expertise and advocate for standardized methane measurement protocols across the global energy landscape. By aligning with the Aiming for Zero Methane Emissions initiative, Aramco continues to integrate its historical infrastructure legacy with modern satellite-based verification, reinforcing its commitment to maintaining the lowest possible methane footprint while supporting the collective goals of the world’s leading energy producers.

MTS: Can you please share some brief history and background on early methane detection and reduction activities?

Alexiou: Saudi Aramco has demonstrated a strong commitment to managing methane emissions through a comprehensive and innovative approach that integrates advanced technologies and robust operational practices. Central to these efforts is the MGS, a strategic initiative designed to capture associated gas that would otherwise be flared, enabling its utilization for power generation and industrial applications. This system not only supports energy efficiency but also significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions. In parallel, Saudi Aramco has prioritized flare monitoring and optimization, ensuring that flaring is minimized through real-time surveillance and adjustments to purge rates and steam usage.

Saudi Aramco, as a signatory to the World Bank’s Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 initiative, continues to implement innovative operational and technological solutions to minimize flaring across its facilities. In this regard, the company has further advanced its environmental goals through the implementation of FGRSs, which capture and repurpose flared gas, thereby reducing emissions and recovering valuable energy resources. These systems are now mandated for new facilities with flaring volumes exceeding 1 million scf/D, reflecting Saudi Aramco’s dedication to sustainable practices. These actions not only support Aramco’s goal of achieving net-zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2050 but also align with global climate objectives by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving resource efficiency.

Additionally, the company has institutionalized LDAR programs across its operations, leveraging OGI and advanced monitoring technologies to identify and mitigate fugitive emissions. These proactive measures are further enhanced by digital platforms that streamline data access and reporting, ensuring transparency and accountability. By integrating these multifaceted strategies, Saudi Aramco is not only aligning with global sustainability objectives but also setting a benchmark in responsible energy production through continuous innovation and operational excellence.

MTS: Please add more context to the current methane management program.

Alexiou: Saudi Aramco’s Methane Detection and Minimization Program (MDMP) represents a strategic and technology-driven initiative aimed at reducing methane emissions across its upstream operations. Aligned with the company’s broader sustainability goals and the OGCI aspiration for near-zero methane intensity by 2030, the MDMP provides a structured framework to detect, monitor, and mitigate methane emissions throughout the value chain.

The program is focused on deploying, mainly planning and implementation, advanced detection and quantifications technologies, including remote sensing ground sensors, predictive emissions modeling systems, satellite methane monitoring, and drone surveys. These technologies enable continuous and real-time monitoring of methane emissions from complex industrial infrastructures.

The deployment of these technologies enhanced the company’s ability to localize leaks with precision and respond quickly to minimize emissions. In addition to technological deployment, the MDMP emphasizes governance and data-driven decision-making. It builds on direct measurement methodologies rather than traditional emission factors, improving accuracy and transparency in reporting. This shift supports the development of standardized quantification protocols and the implementation of methane performance key performance indicators to track progress consistently across facilities. Digital platforms like the Methane Monitoring Solution and Methane Satellite Solution have also been launched to centralize equipment-level emissions tracking and provide early alerts for detected anomalies. Together, these measures not only help Saudi Aramco reduce its environmental footprint but also enhance operational efficiency and excellence. By combining cutting-edge technology, robust governance, and proactive monitoring, the MDMP underscores Saudi Aramco’s leadership in responsible energy production and its commitment to advancing global methane reduction targets.

Saudi Aramco has significantly enhanced its methane detection capabilities through a strategic partnership with GHGSat, a global leader in high-resolution satellite technology for greenhouse gas monitoring. This collaboration leverages GHGSat’s advanced satellite constellation, which is capable of detecting methane emissions as low as 100 kg/h, enabling precise and frequent observations across Aramco’s extensive upstream facilities.

The integration of this space-based monitoring system complements Aramco’s existing LDAR protocols, adding a layer of precision and scalability to its methane management strategy. The satellite methane monitoring campaigns also informs Aramco’s rapid response protocol, ensuring that all identified unintentional methane plumes are investigated and addressed promptly.

This innovative approach underscores Aramco’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies, aligning its operational practices with global best-in-class standards for methane detection and environmental stewardship. Saudi Aramco’s methane management journey—from the pioneering MGS to today’s satellite-enabled detection platforms—demonstrates a consistent commitment to environmental responsibility. By combining historical insight with cutting-edge innovation, Aramco continues to set a high standard for methane reduction in the global energy sector.

MTS: Please share examples of methane emission measurement improvement pilots currently taking place at Aramco.

Orel: There are two such pilots—first, OGI cameras for flare efficiency performance assessment, which represents the latest advancement of OGI technology by utilizing bispectral infrared imaging system, specifically engineered for 24/7 continuous monitoring of flares and pilot flames. The fundamental innovation of technology lies in its use of two distinct, spectrally tuned infrared detectors. One detector is optimized to visualize and quantify unburned hydrocarbons in the fuel, while the other is precisely tuned to detect and measure output CO₂, the primary product of complete combustion. This multispectral approach leverages the fact that many combustion products and hydrocarbons are highly infrared-active in the mid-wavelength infrared range. By comparing the spectral signatures and concentrations of these two key components within the flare plume, technology remotely and nonintrusively quantifies both destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) and combustion efficiency (CE).

OGI cameras continuously and autonomously monitor a range of critical flare performance indicators, including:

• CE
• DRE
• Smoke index
• Pilot flame status (lit vs. unlit)

The technology offers significant advantages over conventional flare monitoring methods:

• Direct and accurate measurement—It directly measures CE and calculates DRE that allows to accurately determine unburned methane emissions.
• Remote and continuous monitoring—The system can be installed at a distance up to 1000 m from the flare, providing continuous, autonomous, and real-time data (1 second interval with no latency).
• Operational optimization— Real-time data on CE enables operators to achieve the “incipient smoke point,” optimizing combustion efficiency while minimizing visible emissions. For assisted flares, OGI can be connected to valve/blower control and enable closed-loop system for automatic optimization of flaring efficiency and smoke presence.
• Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP) 2.0 compliance—OGI complies with OGMP 2.0 Technical Guidance for flaring combustion efficiency measurement.

OGI camera was piloted at one of the major Aramco gas processing facilities with the objective to demonstrate technology capability to continuously monitor flaring DRE in real time. The demonstration included two elevated unassisted flares measurements from distances of 600 m and 420 m. The technology successfully measured combustion efficiency of both elevated flares and demonstrated good performance and ease of operation at a distance of up to 600 m from the flare tip. During pilot demonstration, CE and DRE of both elevated flares was determined to be greater than 99.47% and 99.5%, respectively, far greater than industry average efficiency of 98%.

Second is a Predictive Emission Monitoring System, or PEMS, pilot. PEMS is a software-based solution that continuously calculates emissions using existing process data from the plant control and historian systems. Instead of measuring gases directly with analyzers, PEMS applies mathematical models based on first principles of thermodynamics and combustion chemistry, combined with data reconciliation and validation algorithms that ensure the input data are physically consistent. In simple terms, PEMS functions as a digital twin of the combustion process. It takes the same data used to run the turbine—such as fuel flow, temperatures, pressures, and ambient conditions—and predicts the concentrations of CH₄, CO₂, and other species in the exhaust. Because it uses process information that is already continuously collected, it can provide a complete and uninterrupted emissions record without installing and maintaining gas analyzers on every stack.

A pilot PEMS installation has been performed at a major Aramco hydrocarbon processing facility. The objective of the pilot was to demonstrate how PEMS can provide Aramco with continuous, high-fidelity, measurement-based estimates of CH₄ and CO₂ emissions from gas-turbine exhausts. The system was implemented on two gas turbines and calibrated against on-site FTIR [Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy] stack measurements. The comparison showed good agreement at the tested steady-load points, demonstrating that the modeling approach is technically sound and that PEMS can integrate smoothly with Aramco’s historian infrastructure. Methane emission flow rates predicted by PEMS during pilot demonstration showed significant emissions reduction when compared to emissions estimated using industry average emission factors, down to 95%.

MTS: How are these two pilots being scaled up to help support Aramco methane management policy?

Orel: Conducted pilot technology demonstrations highlighted the importance of the direct emissions measurement approach as a true reflection of Aramco’s operational practices. Following successful demonstration, the piloted technologies have been included in implementation plan for technologies to roll out across the company in the following years.