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PG&E and partners test new leak‑detection and repair technologies including AlphaTape, LiDAR and satellite scans
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Summary
PG&E presented R&D updates: AlphaTape for meter‑set repairs (phase 2 pilot, 100 meter sets), testing LiDAR at compressor stations to measure intermittent vents, satellite scans and drones for surveys, and continuous sensors at underground storage wells in phased pilots.
PG&E engineers outlined research, development and pilot projects intended to reduce methane emissions and improve detection and measurement.
On meter‑set repairs, PG&E described the AlphaTape pilot — a silicone‑based polymer tape applied without full meter disassembly — that reduced repair time in a Bay Area pilot. PG&E said it is expanding to a 100‑meter‑set phase‑2 pilot to evaluate performance across a wider range of climates and field conditions.
PG&E presented station‑level work using LiDAR (aerial/ground sensors) at intermittent transmission compressor‑station components. The utility installed a LiDAR camera at 10 M&R stations, ran 24‑hour deployments and compared observed emitting components with measured indications. PG&E said many intermittent components showed no measurable emission during the 24‑hour windows sampled; that result reduces the station‑level average emission factor when averaged across many components. PG&E also tested whether valve position or pressure correlated with measured emissions; the company reported no clear correlation at the timescales sampled.
For underground storage wellheads the utility reported a GTI Energy pilot of multiple continuous sensors at a single well; PG&E said the sensors performed well in initial tests and will move to a phase‑1B test of two leading sensors plus work on control‑room integration and alarming to meet California oil-and‑gas rules.
PG&E also reported progress on aerial and satellite approaches. The company completed LiDAR testing in partnership with NYSERDA and noted promising leak‑quantification results; it is testing satellite providers for distribution‑system detection but said cloud cover limits practical use in California and that satellite revisits, tasking and weather constraints affect timeliness. PG&E continues drone sensor pilots to address use cases such as vegetation‑covered assets and hard‑to‑reach areas.
PG&E presenters emphasized that sensor and platform limitations vary by use case: LiDAR and aircraft are proven for larger, higher‑rate leaks; satellite and some aerial options show promise for broad coverage but have weather and tasking constraints; drones and continuous ground sensors can close gaps for localized or persistent sources.
