Gas Mapping LiDAR Quantifies Methane Emissions

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) signed an agreement for $12 million with high-tech laser company Bridger Photonics. The company will use Bridger’s Gas Mapping LiDAR to detect, pinpoint, and quantify methane emissions throughout SoCalGas’ distribution area.

The company will fly helicopters equipped with lidar sensors over its distribution area to scan for methane emissions. After each day’s scan, Bridger will provide SoCalGas a digital map that shows gas plume images, pinpoints the leak source with GPS coordinates, and quantifies the detected methane emissions. The company will use this information to dispatch appropriate crews to the emissions source to resolve the problem.

Per the new agreement with SoCalGas, Bridger Photonics will fly helicopters equipped with lidar sensors to scan for methane emissions. After each day’s scan, Bridger will provide SoCalGas a digital map that shows gas plume images, pinpoints the leak source with GPS coordinates, and quantifies the detected methane emissions. Courtesy of Bridger Photonics.

SoCalGas currently serves more than 21 million consumers with nearly 5.9 million meters of natural gas pipeline in more than 500 communities.

The agreement comes less than one year after the U.S. Department of Energy awarded Bridger Photonics $4.57 million from its Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy’s (ARPA-E) SCALEUP program. The award specifically supports Bridger’s development and commercialization of lidar for aerial methane detection.