Energy efficiency and product recovery improvements are key components of ConocoPhillips Canada’s commitment to being an industry leader in environmental stewardship and operations excellence.

ConocoPhillips Canada was the first Canadian company to utilize an infrared video camera as a fugitive emissions detection technologya in upstream oil and gas facilities. The camera provides rapid, accurate and safe identification of hydrocarbon gas emissions in real-time. This technology allows operators to see emissions of methane and volatile organic compounds that are invisible to the naked eye. Coupled with the Hi Flow® Sampler, the camera precisely identifies the origin of a leak and measures the volume of hydrocarbons released. This has a much higher degree of accuracy compared to conventional methods and has proven to be a cost effective, efficient and successful method of reducing fugitive emissions.

Today, infrared technology is part of CPC’s Fugitive Emission Management program, which is contributing to a safer working environment, reducing our green house gas (GHG) emissions, and helping us realize cost savings in our operations.

• By identifying and repairing fugitive emission sources, we can reduce or eliminate certain types of workplace hazards and reduce worker exposure to hydrocarbon vapours. 
  
• As methane is a GHG, reducing our fugitive emissions reduces our total GHG emission rates. Based on our pilot study, our Fugitive Emission Management Program may be able to reduce fugitive emissions by over 60 percent. This is one example of how ConocoPhillips works to minimize our environmental impact and employs best practices in our operations. 
  
• The majority of the gas we lose as fugitive emissions can be recovered which reduces our costs (fuel gas) and increases our total production.