Presentation Profile
High-Precision Emission Monitoring: Improving the Sensitivity of Instrumentation Used to Detect Trace Leaks and VOCs at Refineries
Currently Scheduled: 10/14/2026 - 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Room: Exhibit Hall Entrance
Main Author
Raj Shah - Koehler Instrument Company, Inc.
- Linh Pham - University of California, Los Angeles
- Gavin Cunningham - Koehler Instrument Company, Inc.
Abstract:
Increasingly stringent environmental regulations and growing concerns regarding air quality have accelerated the development of high-precision emission monitoring technologies within the petroleum refining industry. Fugitive emissions and equipment leaks release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which contribute to atmospheric pollution, regulatory noncompliance, and operational safety risks. Recent research has focused on enhancing the sensitivity and accuracy of analytical instrumentation, leading to substantial improvements in technologies such as Optical Gas Imaging (OGI), Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry (PTR-MS), Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS), and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. These systems are now capable of detecting VOC emissions at parts-per-billion concentrations while providing faster response times and greater measurement precision than conventional leak detection methods. Complementing these technological developments, the integration of wireless sensor networks, automated data analytics, and machine learning algorithms has improved real-time monitoring, leak localization, and emission quantification across refinery operations. Continuous monitoring platforms and remote sensing technologies have further expanded detection coverage and enabled earlier identification of emission sources. Although challenges remain in reducing measurement uncertainty and maintaining accuracy under varying environmental conditions, recent developments have significantly strengthened refinery-level VOC monitoring capabilities. Collectively, these advancements demonstrate the growing role of intelligent sensing systems in improving environmental compliance, operational safety, and sustainable refinery operations.
