Repsol Launches First Water-Based Hydrocarbon Leak Detection System

Spain’s Repsol and consultancy firm Indra announced a safety system to detect hydrocarbons, which the company claimed to be ‘the first of its kind in the world.’ 

‘Repsol and Indra have together created HEADS (Hydrocarbon Early Automatic Detection System), an early warning system designed to detect leaks that enables the energy industry to maximise safety in offshore operations,’ reads the note released on Thursday.

 According to the company, the world’s first water-based hydrocarbon leak early detection system will increase safety conditions in all its facilities.

‘HEADS uses a combination of a number of detection sensors, adding the automatic interpretation of infrared images and radar, and activating alarms without the need for human intervention. The combined use of infrared images and radar can maximise reliability, and the automation of the process allows for constant monitoring without the intervention of an operator, minimising the risk of human error. Radar detection is based on the difference in the roughness of the water surface when hydrocarbons are present. The infrared camera detects the variations in temperature between water and hydrocarbons, due to differences between the calorific properties of the two substances,’ reads the communiqué.

Last week, the company announced an agreement to develop exploration and production technology with the French Institute of Petroleum, IFP Energies Nouvelles.