ExxonMobil investing in emissions-detecting technology

In addition to navigating new and shifting methane emissions regulations, oil and gas producers are navigating new and shifting emissions detection technology.

ExxonMobil, the industry giant is launching an aggressive campaign to achieve net zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions from its Permian Basin assets by 2030 and company-wide among its operated assets by 2050. To that end, ExxonMobil has established its Center for Operations and Methane Emissions Tracking (COMET) in Houston, which will monitor sensors in the Permian Basin 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

As part of the evaluations, the company is installing state-of-the-art technologies across its 1.8 million-acre Permian Basin operations, from satellites and planes to stratospheric balloons to ground-based mobile and fixed-position sensors.

Installing ground sensors was the first step, with quantification of emissions the next. That effort is part of the collaboration with Scepter Inc., which will launch a stratospheric balloon early next year to survey ExxonMobil assets as well as satellite and airplane flyovers. The goal is to detect leaks – including “fugitive” methane emissions – and identify potential solutions.

One of the main challenges is integration of the data from those various technologies. The ultimate goal, for Exxon and other operators, is to capture that methane, keep it in pipelines and sell it.