Drones are flying across the Permian Basin searching for methane leaks. Chevron last year partnered with Percepto to use the drone maker and operator’s drones in its Permian Basin operations.

“There’s always early adapters and latecomers,” observed Jackie Alkobi, marketing manager at Percepto. “Some companies are proceeding cautiously. Each company has their own way of development a business case.”

The company has already deployed autonomous drones outfitted with optical gas imaging payloads and has worked with about four different Permian Basin operators, deploying between 10 and 20 of its drones to survey field operations.

Now Percepto has launched its artificial intelligence detector for remote, drone-based methane surveying.

“It detects the outline of emissions in real time, which speeds up the process of repair,” Alkobi said. The AI algorithm can flag emissions in real time, sending out verified alerts with precise geolocation, timestamps, environmental data and dwell time, enabling faster, more focused response efforts."

“From a customer perspective, it’s good for them to detect in real time emissions for the environment, for worker safety,” she added.

Percepto’s autonomous drones last year completed testing at the Methane Emissions Technology Evaluation Center (METEC), meeting and exceeding the detection capabilities required for EPA Alternative Test Method (ATM) certification. Alkobi said the company has submitted its application to the Environmental Protection Agency to be approved as alternative monitoring technology under upcoming EPA Subpart OOOOc regulations.

“AI is just a piece of the puzzle,” Alkobi said. “We can integrate the data into a workflow that makes sense.”

Percepto has an operational hub in Midland, established at the request of a client, that can benefit all Permian Basin clients in terms of servicing the drones. The drones are deployed in the field, where charging stations have been established.

Percepto has a centralized operations center in Riviera Beach, Florida. The company provides training, maintenance and operations, she said.

Although there is a new administration, Alkobi said the industry’s commitment to detecting and addressing emissions remains the same. Percepto’s technology generates reports that align with evolving regulatory requirements.

The AI-outfitted drones are the next generation of technology, she said.