Enhancement of mobile emissions monitoring technology for commercialization: idea to innovation phase IIB

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In Alberta alone, energy sector gas leaks have twice the greenhouse impact of all personal vehicles in the province. Regulations are tightening quickly, but locating fugitive gas emissions (unplanned emissions from oil and gas reservoirs) is still a challenge. In response to this need, Dr. Dave Risk's FluxLab at St. Francis Xavier University has developed a mobile atmospheric emission sensing technology that detects the presence and origin of methane, greenhouse, and toxic fugitive gas emissions from conventional or unconventional developments in the upstream and downstream energy sector. This technology is referred to as ExACT for Emissions Attribution Using Computational Techniques. The potential of ExACT is demonstrated through our past work and project successes, having over 30 government, industry, academic, and NGO partners across three countries. In January 2017, members of Altus Geomatics (a Canadian Altus Group company) and StFX University signed a collaboration agreement for the exclusive commercialization and usage rights of the technology. The next step in commercialization is to refine ExACT for use in a real world, marketable context, as until now the technique has been used primarily for research. Over the proposed two-year time frame, this project will fund the final stages of technological enhancement required for full commercialization. The project will involve a team of experienced technicians, a post-doctorate, a project manager, and a team lead; many of whom will collaborate with members of Altus Geomatics to meet the technical and market-driven milestones in the activity schedule. These process improvements are needed to standardize our software and analysis procedures, allowing them to be easily adopted by the receptor company. The strong demand for this technology stems from issues around liability, regulation, corporate environmental responsibility, and profit (due to lost product). For operators, identifying fugitive emissions can reduce their environmental liability, improve safety on site, reduce landowner complaints (H2S in particular), and minimize lost product.