Scottish technology company M Squared has pioneered a laser-based hydrocarbon detection and imaging system which could spot the tiniest of leaks on production platforms, pipelines and processing plant from hundreds of meters away.

 

M Squared's Firefly system constantly scans a selected area with laser beams. This active approach is a thousand times more sensitive than current thermal and infra-red imagers, and can 'smell' gas, liquid and solid particles in concentrations of fewer than 10 parts per million.

 

M Squared is currently in talks with several oil and gas companies to trial the product, which has been proven in the defense industry. Firefly could significantly cut maintenance costs and reduce production loss by helping to spot leaks much more quickly than current technology allows.

 

Dr. Graeme Malcolm, co-founder and CEO of M Squared Lasers, said: "This technology has the capability to tell operators when and where a leak occurs across a much greater area and with greater accuracy than current point sensors or any other existing gas imaging technology.

 

"The ability to quickly spot and isolate leaks on a platform, pipeline or processing plant is of fundamental importance, both in terms of worker safety and also the financial and reputational damage which can result from a leak. The BGF investment allows us to take the Firefly product to a much wider audience within the oil and gas sector and demonstrate its effectiveness on a larger scale."

 

M Squared Lasers designs and manufactures lasers and photonic optical instruments for applications in frontier science, bio-photonics, defense and oil and gas. M Squared's Firefly system can be used to detect leaks at production sites, pipelines, petrochemical plants and from storage plants.