Novatek announced that one of its subsidiaries, Novatek-Yurkharovneftegas, has launched a project for methane leak monitoring with the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The initiative forms part of the company’s Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Change Targets Program as well as development of a multilevel leak detection system.
Using UAVs for methane leak monitoring enables accurate and fast measurements as well as lower costs compared with other monitoring methods. The project involves using domestically sourced UAVs to inspect the facilities of the Yurkharovskoye field, one of the largest in the company’s portfolio, and the West-Yaroyakhinskiy license area, spanning almost 100 hectares, as well as a 50-km long section of Novatek’s gas pipelines. Designed with hypersensitive gas analyzers, UAVs are equipped to operate in remote areas and deliver real-time video feeds within up to 50 km.
The company called the UAVs an important element of the multilevel methane leak detection system, which includes satellite imaging and ground monitoring during site tours.
Novatek said it is working toward further decarbonization and is aiming to reduce its methane intensity by 4% by 2030. Its Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Change Targets Program contains an action plan to achieve this target. Novatek said that, in 2021, it reduced its methane intensity by 11% year on year to 12.9 tons/million BOE.