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Design and Use of a Full Flow Sampling System (FFS) for the Quantification of Methane Emissions
Published on: June 12, 2016
Wind-Aware Methane Sensor Architecture at a Gas Plant: CFD Analysis of Tree- and Infrastructure-Controlled Plume
Mohan Sivagnanam1, Ranjani Kannaiyan1, Ian D Gates1
1Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada.
ACS Omega
|August 14, 2026
Summary
Optimizing methane monitoring at oil and gas facilities requires a wind-aware, role-based sensor strategy. Sensor placement must account for how wind direction and speed affect methane plume dispersion around plant infrastructure and vegetation.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Atmospheric Science
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Methane emissions monitoring at oil and gas facilities is crucial for environmental protection.
- Current sensor networks' effectiveness is limited by fixed locations that don't account for variable atmospheric conditions.
- Facility infrastructure and vegetation significantly distort methane plume dispersion patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To simulate methane dispersion from oil and gas facilities under various conditions.
- To evaluate the impact of plant infrastructure and vegetation on sensor effectiveness.
- To propose an optimized, adaptable sensor network design for methane monitoring.
Main Methods:
- Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations using Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations.
- Modeling methane dispersion from tank and flare-stack release scenarios.
- Examining 27 mean-wind cases varying wind direction, speed, and ambient temperature.
Main Results:
- Wind direction and speed are primary factors influencing methane plume behavior and sensor effectiveness.
- Low wind speeds result in broad, ground-level plumes, while high speeds create narrower, elevated plumes.
- Specific sheltered zones within facilities can lead to localized methane concentration increases, potentially biasing measurements.
Conclusions:
- A single, universal sensor layout is insufficient for effective methane monitoring.
- A wind-aware, role-based sensor architecture is recommended for gas plants in vegetated areas.
- Sensor placement should consider five distinct roles: source-proximal, dominant-sector downwind, sheltered-wake/canopy-edge, elevated, and background.
