Utah Office of Energy Development Funds Cutting-Edge Methane Leak Detection Projects

The Utah Office of Energy Development (OED), the State Energy Office, announced it will award $90,000 to Caerus Unita and XCL Resources to identify methane leaks at oil and gas facilities using cutting edge drone technology as part of a new program to clean up air quality in the Uinta Basin.

OED oversees the Uinta Basin Aerial Leak and Repair Detection (UB ALaRD) program, which uses drone flyovers with sensors to detect methane leaks in oil and gas infrastructure. The program, funded by U.S. State Energy Program (SEP) dollars as well as by nonprofit organizations, aims to improve leak detection efficiency through the use of aerial technology. Because the use of that technology may be prohibitively expensive for smaller operators, UB ALaRD offers grants to help offset the costs of aerial oil and gas leak detection surveys done by private sector companies. The program collects data on the area surveyed, number of leaks identified, and successful repairs made. The two awardees plan to supplement the grant funds with their own capital to conduct additional surveys of the basin.

By leveraging cutting-edge technology and public-private partnerships, OED is showing that better air quality and reduced emissions can go hand-in-hand with continued economic development in the area. For more information, please reach out to OED at [email protected].