Scepter Taps Stratospheric Technology and Capabilities to Address Methane Emissions
- Successful launch of a first-of-its-kind High Altitude Platform system with ExxonMobil
- Continuous, near real-time detection of methane emissions over a vast area
- Utilization of stratospheric balloon technology and partnership with Aerostar
- Operational data analytics platform and broader ambition of global real-time monitoring
- None.
Insights
The implementation of a High Altitude Platform system for the detection of methane emissions represents a significant advancement in environmental monitoring technology. The system's ability to provide continuous, near real-time data during daylight hours over extensive areas like the Permian Basin has the potential to transform how oil and natural gas companies manage their environmental footprint.
From an environmental perspective, the reduction of fugitive methane emissions is critical as methane is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential many times greater than that of carbon dioxide over a 100-year period. The collaboration between Scepter, Inc. and ExxonMobil indicates a proactive approach to environmental management and could set a precedent for other players in the industry.
The deployment of this technology aligns with the increasing regulatory pressure and public demand for sustainable practices in energy production. The ability to monitor emissions more accurately enables companies to respond swiftly to leaks, thereby potentially reducing environmental harm and aligning with goals such as those set by the IRA legislation and COP commitments.
The advancement of methane detection technology has direct implications for the oil and gas sector, particularly in terms of operational efficiency and regulatory compliance. The collaboration between Scepter, Inc. and ExxonMobil could serve as a model for industry-wide adoption of similar technologies.
As the system evolves into a global monitoring network, it may become a standard component of environmental risk management for energy companies. The ability to detect and address methane leaks promptly could reduce potential fines and mitigate reputational damage, thereby having a positive impact on a company's bottom line.
Moreover, the utilization of this technology might offer competitive advantages to early adopters by demonstrating their commitment to environmental stewardship, which could influence investor sentiment and consumer trust. The commercialization of this technology at competitive rates suggests a viable new revenue stream for companies like Scepter, Inc., as well as cost savings for oil and gas companies through more efficient methane management.
The introduction of a new methane detection platform could have several financial implications for stakeholders. For ExxonMobil, investment in such technology may be indicative of a long-term strategy to mitigate environmental risks and comply with future regulations, which could have a positive impact on the company's financial health and stock valuation.
From an investment perspective, the potential for this technology to become an industry standard could mean growth opportunities for companies like Scepter, Inc. and their partners. The technology's ability to integrate with a range of data sources and its scalability to global monitoring could attract investors looking for companies at the forefront of innovation and sustainability in the energy sector.
However, the capital expenditure required for the deployment and maintenance of such a system, as well as the potential need for additional investment to scale up to a global network, could impact short-term profitability. Stakeholders should consider the balance between upfront costs and the long-term benefits of improved environmental performance and regulatory compliance.
First-of-its-kind methane detection platform is developed and operational to track fugitive methane emissions regionally
Scepter, which specializes in using global Earth and space-based data to measure air pollutants in real time, is working with ExxonMobil to form a large constellation network capable of monitoring oil and natural gas operations around the world. As part of this effort, the companies are conducting stratospheric balloon missions to test the technology in high-altitude conditions and expect to evolve the platform into a permanent capability. Data acquired at the stratosphere is a complementary fit into a spectrum of detection capabilities operating across different layers, including satellites.
“We are now providing critical methane data and intelligence regionally to the oil & gas industry through a first-of-its-kind look-down platform,” said Scepter CEO and Founder Philip Father. “We’re operating in parallel with IRA legislation and COP commitments while other systems are still on the ground. Our regional data acquisition capabilities will evolve into global capabilities as customer needs evolve in this direction.”
The methane data generated by the system went directly into Scepter’s data analytics platform, which became operational earlier this year in large part due to the efforts of Amazon Web Services (AWS). This commercial regional detection capability is a foundational cornerstone to Scepter’s broader ambition of monitoring the atmosphere on a global real-time basis through the addition of satellite-based infrared sensors.
“Aerostar is thrilled to be part of such an important commercial offering to reduce methane in the atmosphere, and we pulled out all of the stops for this effort with Scepter,” said Russ Van Der Werff, VP Stratospheric Solutions at Aerostar. “We enhanced our core Thunderhead Balloon system to accommodate Scepter’s payload and data transfer requirements.”
Data acquired from Scepter stratospheric missions is normalized and fused with other sensor data including terrestrial, airborne and third party data to provide customers with information optimized to their methane leak intelligence needs at commercial rates.
“This is a great example of combining our heritage hyperspectral capabilities with commercial off-the-shelf technologies to create Scepter’s payload,” said David Blair, VP technology at Headwall Photonics. “We’re committed to applying our know-how to help solve the climate crisis.”
“ExxonMobil has one of industry’s most aggressive plans in the Permian to achieve near-zero methane emissions from its operated, unconventional assets by 2030,” said Matt Kolesar, Chief Environmental Scientist at ExxonMobil. “Once fully deployed, this technology will be another part of our multi-layered methane monitoring system. We expect to utilize the first satellite, launched by Scepter, with this advanced imaging technology in the next couple years and anticipate increasing coverage to more than 24 satellites over the following three years.”
ABOUT SCEPTER
Scepter has developed and patented a ground-breaking approach to monitoring the atmosphere in real-time using an array of terrestrial, airborne and Low-Earth-Orbit satellite-based sensors to provide actionable information for businesses, consumers, governments and NGOs—what amounts to aggregating the largest footprint of atmospheric information on the globe.
These capabilities are not only critical for solving the global pollution and climate change crises, but also provide a platform for an emerging multibillion-dollar, commercial atmospheric monitoring industry with markets in government, energy, industry, healthcare, agriculture, insurance and cosmetics.
Scepter distinguishes itself among other air monitoring entities in that its measurements are global and in real-time and measure a variety of emissions: particulates, methane and other criteria pollutants. For more on Scepter, visit www.ScepterAir.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231220099947/en/
Jennifer Black
jblack@scepterair.com
Source: Scepter, Inc.
FAQ
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