METEC – Offshore

Recent studies have attempted to quantify methane emissions from offshore production facilities using methods developed and validated for quantifying emissions from onshore facilities, however, calculated emissions are much lower than expected, raising questions over the validity of assumptions made, including:

  • Effects of the marine boundary layer as offshore wind fields differ substantially from onshore,
  • Oceanic particulate affecting optic-based measurement systems,
  • Offshore facilities’ emission plumes being too diffuse for current methods to detect,
  • The reduction in light intensity as it reflects off the water’s surface, this may not be sufficient for many imaging solutions.
smoke along coast of northeast England
Smoke from a near-shore chimney off the coast of NE England. The plume did not disperse vertically as it was entrained in the boundary layer moving out to sea.
Image of offshore oil rig and schematic of methane measurements near rig
Methane concentration measurements around the Breagh platform 100 km east of Teesside, NE England.

METEC 2.0 will investigate development of an offshore version of METEC to simulate behavior of emissions from offshore facilities. This capability would support a variety of testing protocols to independently validate current and developing quantification approaches. The main design features will include: gas release capability of between 5 and 500 kg methane per hour; release points that emulate both small leaks and large emissions commonly seen at offshore facilities, e.g. unlit flares and venting; meteorological, micrometeorological and environmental data collection; and gas storage with a remote-control release system will allow for autonomous, precision timed emissions.  

Controlled testing cannot be performed on operational platforms where emission rates cannot be strictly controlled, and operational and safety concerns are prohibitive for the necessary large releases. The current plan is to use an abandoned offshore platform to provide a realistic yet simulated offshore controlled release test location. The size, type and location of the facility will be chosen after consultation with operators and solution providers but will be selected in terms of location (to provide ready access by drones and ships), size and structural features (representative of most common platforms), environmental conditions, and transferability to other operational areas (E.g., Nova Scotia, North Sea, west coast of Africa, Caribbean). 

Developing this capability will be challenging. The METEC team will partner with offshore experts for design, construction, and operation of the facility. While the team has identified preliminary partners, we are still in the conceptualization phase, and input is welcome.

Engage: The project will include an advisory board to prioritize facility types, locations, and characteristics for controlled testing – and to help identify an existing facility.  Advisory board input will drive choice of location, testing capabilities, and testing plans.  We encourage active participation to ensure this facility meets your requirements. Contact Stuart Riddick ([email protected]) for further information or to join the advisory board.


METEC Offshore Project Updates
  • In Fall 2024, METEC staff conducted listening sessions among industry experts to gather feedback concerning the design and development of the METEC 2.0 offshore controlled testing concept. Read the stakeholder feedback report.