Advanced remote sensing solutions accommodating petrochemical/chemical industrial monitoring needs and challenges based on field analysis

The petrochemical and chemical industries are facing new challenges. Extended focus, new legislation, regulations and better standards have been presented by governments and regulators for air quality management. New solutions are now required to provide high sensitivity, low detection limit, continuous and spatial monitoring as a real time control and prevention tool for fugitive emissions.

In order to meet these challenges, automation of remote sensing technology based on Open-Path FTIR has been selected for development. The gas analysis is based on USEPA method TO-161 and ASTM method E1865-97(2013) together with optical remote sensing for emission characterization from non-point source -method USEPA MTO-10.

The main challenge that the automatic, multi spectral analysis technology has been facing is to provide real time validated results with the quality of low Detection limits. 'Spectral averaging' and 'AutoSpectral validation' have been developed and got implemented to improve the measurement sensitivity (MDL detection limit) and certainty.

The major impact of human errors and equipment failures on the total annual emissions during short or long term events occur in the polluting facilities had been evaluated . Field base analysis, case studies, data sets and results from various campaigns would be demonstrated.

Continuous spatial monitoring with a quality feature of source location had been proved to be a significant way to prevent emergencies, assist with a root cause analysis and reduce the overall annual emission rate. Examples from live projects will be presented.