METEC


The Methane Emissions Technology Evaluation Center (METEC) is a unique and renowned test and research facility for emissions leak detection and quantification (LDAQ) technology development, field demonstration, hands-on LDAQ equipment training, and protocol and best practices development. The METEC facility is operated by the Energy Institute at Colorado State University (CSU) and is located on CSU’s foothills campus.

METEC Major Campaigns and Initiatives

A Map of the U.S. National Greenhouse Gas Inventory from 2012

Modeling Emissions: Measurement Informed Inventory (MII)

Emission modeling field research, both TD & BU, informs measurement informed inventories at the site and basin level. The MAES model reconciles normal emissions, maintenance emissions, and non-maintenance emissions. Read more about MII and the contributing studies.

A technician adjusting a gas sensor at an outdoor research site

Encouraging Development of Emissions Detection Technologies: Facilities

METEC provides a simulated environment for emission detection technologies to improve their algorithms and solution deployment in multiple environments, including both controlled test and operational test environments. Read the latest research regarding improving performance of leak detection technologies.

Aerial view of the METEC Research Test Center

Encouraging Development of Emissions Detection Technologies: Pipelines

To support innovation in this area, research focuses on environmentally and geographically diverse conditions, including gas composition, climate, terrain, and complex urban and rural environments, along with analysis of enhancements to LDAQ protocols that can be realistically incorporated into operator leak detection protocols and aid developers in LDAQ solution development for pipelines.

A METEC research vehicle testing at an oil and gas production site.

Field Campaigns

METEC field campaign research aims to observe, measure, and evaluate emissions in complex, operational environments, providing critical data to inform emission modeling and inventories, as well as improvements to technology. LEARN about campaigns including Prototypical Site Modeling, Emission Reconciliation, Midstream Quantification, and others.

METEC 2.0 Projects

Aerial view of the METEC Research Test Center

Key components of the Dept. of Energy funded, multi-pronged effort to improve the characterization of leak detection and quantification (LDAQ).

Annually, solution developers assess and refine their LDAQ technology using this internationally accepted controlled-release test protocol.

METEC will develop a controlled release system to emit a known amount of natural gas to the atmosphere to test satellite abilities to detect and quantify methane plumes.

By developing autonomous mobile methane measurement units (AMMMUs) and conducting comprehensive field tests in both controlled and complex environments, this project seeks to generate high-quality datasets and validate atmospheric dispersion models. These efforts will support the refinement of precision requirements, improve model accuracy, and facilitate wider adoption of LDAQ technologies.

METEC staff will investigate development of an offshore version of METEC to simulate behavior of emissions from offshore facilities.

Simulating complex wind fields among production equipment is essential in understanding gas dispersion. Dramatic updates to the METEC methane emission research site will more closely reflect the complexity representative of current upstream O&G operations providing more realistic, complex wind fields to test LDAQ solutions. 

The METEC Industry Advisory Board (IAB) is comprised of leading operators in the natural gas industry. The Board meets regularly with the METEC Group to advise and provide guidance on industry trends.

Special Topics & Projects


Collaborative Approach to Reducing Emissions (CARE) for MCWs  

The CARE project will be led by Colorado State University in cooperation with universities distributed widely across the country (UT, TAMU, UWY, NMT, and WVU), a technology incubator, a national lab (LANL) and one community development organization.

CARE will develop and implement a solution ecosystem that improves operational efficiency, safety, and environmental footprint of marginal conventional wells (MCWs) across the USA.

Visit the CARE Project Page to learn more about CARE and how to get involved.