Quantification of undersea gas leaks from carbon capture and storage facilities, from pipelines and from methane seeps, by their acoustic emissions

Abstract

In recent years, because of the importance of leak detection from carbon capture and storage facilities and the need to monitor methane seeps and undersea gas pipelines, there has been an increased requirement for methods of detecting bubbles released from the seabed into the water column. If undetected and uncorrected, such leaks can generate huge financial and environmental losses. This paper describes a theory by which the passive acoustic signals detected by a hydrophone array can be used to quantify gas leakage, providing a practical (as opposed to research), passive and remote detection system which can monitor over a period of years using simple instrumentation. The sensitivity in detecting and quantifying the flux of gas is shown to exceed by more than two orders of magnitude the sensitivity of the current model-based techniques used commercially for gas leaks from large, long pipelines.

Detection and impacts of leakage from sub-seafloor deep geological carbon dioxide storage

“…CO2 fluxes across the sediment-water interface were quantified by direct diver collection, a passive acoustic inversion technique 16 based on hydrophone data and benthic chambers for quantifying dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) flux. The partial pressure of CO2 in the water column was monitored by a calibrated pCO2 ISFET electrode 31 moored at five centimetre height above the seabed at the centre of the release site.…”

“…2b). The flux of gaseous CO2 across the seafloor was determined directly by divers collecting bubbles from each bubble stream, and estimated by acoustic inversion of hydrophone data 16 . On Day 33 direct measurements yielded an estimated total CO2 flow of 31.8 kg d -1 ( Fig.…”

Modelling acoustic scattering, sound speed, and attenuation in gassy soft marine sediments

“…Secondly, for assessment of the gas reserves for fuel and climate risk [4][5][6][7]. Such quantification of marine gas reserves should also take into account that which could potentially dissociate from hydrate.…”

“…Such quantification of marine gas reserves should also take into account that which could potentially dissociate from hydrate. Thirdly, for monitoring leakages into sediment from buried manmade gas bodies, including buried gas pipelines and carbon capture and storage facilities [4,[8][9][10].…”

Investigation of a method for real time quantification of gas bubbles in pipelines

“…1 the manufacturing and harvesting of products containing bubbles, such as foodstuffs, 2 cement, 3 petrochemicals, 4 pharmaceuticals, 5 and aerosols; 6 and the refining and deposition of metals. 7 Recently, detectors for helium bubbles in steel pipelines filled with liquid mercury have been investigated for a spallation neutron source (SNS).…”