Watching for Danger: Explosion?Proof Cameras and Laser Methane Detectors in Oil & Gas

Oil and gas sites are hazardous places. The air can contain invisible flammable gases, and facilities often work in extreme temperatures and weather. To keep workers and the environment safe, companies use special explosion-proof CCTV cameras and laser-based methane detectors. Explosion-proof cameras look like ordinary security cameras but are built to prevent any sparks or electrical faults inside them from igniting nearby gases. Laser methane detectors use infrared laser beams to “see” invisible methane gas: the beam is aimed at equipment or the air, and if methane absorbs part of the light, the device detects a leak. Together, these technologies help staff spot problems early – before an invisible methane leak can cause a fire, explosion, or climate-warming pollution.

Figure: Outdoor security cameras (generic models shown) are similar in purpose to explosion-proof CCTV cameras used on oil rigs and refineries. These heavy-duty cameras are built in rugged, sealed housings (often stainless steel) and rated to contain any sparks, so they can safely operate amid flammable gases.

Why Methane Leaks Matter – Safety and Climate

Methane is the main component of natural gas. It is extremely flammable – even a small leak can mix with air (5–15% concentration) and ignite, causing a fire or explosion. In fact, safety data lists methane as a “flammable gas” with the highest hazard rating (NFPA flammability?4) – it “burns readily” at normal temperatures. That means even tiny leaks near a spark source can trigger a disaster. Explosion?proof cameras help monitor equipment so workers see flames or smoke immediately, but detectors for methane itself are needed because the gas is colorless and odorless.

Beyond safety, methane leaks drive climate change. Unburned methane is a super?greenhouse gas – over 20 years it traps about 80 times more heat in the atmosphere per molecule than carbon dioxide. One recent study found oil/gas field “super?leaks” of tens of thousands of tons of methane, which can happen quietly and go unnoticed. Scientists estimate that methane from human activities (half from oil, gas, and coal operations) contributes 25% or more of today’s global warming. Because of this, energy companies and regulators are very focused on finding and fixing leaks. As BP’s leadership put it, “for gas to play its fullest role…we have to keep it in the pipe”. Rapid, real?time leak detection (using cameras or lasers) lets companies find even small emissions quickly so they can repair them, meeting climate targets and safety rules.

Explosion?Proof CCTV Cameras: Tough Eyes in HazMat Zones

An explosion?proof CCTV camera is essentially a regular security camera inside a specially sealed, hardened housing. In explosive atmospheres (oil rigs, refineries, chemical plants, etc.), any electrical device could spark. Explosion?proof housings are built to contain an internal spark or flame so it cannot ignite external gases or dust. These enclosures are usually heavy-duty metal (stainless steel or aluminum) and rated for harsh conditions: they are often certified to ATEX/IECEx or UL Class/Division standards for gas environments. For example, many explosion?proof cameras tolerate extreme temperatures (–40°C to +70°C) and corrosive offshore environments. Connectors and mounts are also sealed, and any infrared illuminators or heaters inside are designed not to overheat.

In practice, explosion?proof cameras work like any industrial CCTV. They can pan/tilt/zoom and often include infrared night vision. They are mounted around the facility – on tall poles, pipe racks, or structures – to keep watch on valves, flares, loading zones, and perimeters. The video feeds go back to a control room, where operators can watch live or record for later review. By watching gauges, flaring, and open areas, the cameras let staff spot smoke, sparks, fires, or security breaches without sending people into danger. In many plants, these cameras reduce the need for workers to physically inspect equipment in hazardous zones: maintenance crews can remotely check a pump or pipeline on camera, lowering accident risk.

How are they made “explosion?proof”? Inside an explosion?proof camera, all electrical parts (motors, circuit boards) are enclosed. Even if a fault causes a spark or a component burns out, the housing captures the flame and gases. Often, the housing has fins and is filled with inert gas so heat dissipates safely. High-quality models are tested to contain an internal ignition under pressure. In effect, they act like mini fireboxes: the explosion (if it happens) stays inside, and nothing hot or burning emerges. This is why a normal camera could actually be more dangerous (it could start an explosion if a short-circuit occurred), while an explosion-proof one greatly reduces that risk.

Camera Usage in the Field

In oil and gas facilities around the world, explosion?proof cameras are standard safety gear. For example, refineries, offshore platforms, pipeline pumping stations, and gas processing plants routinely install them at key points. Operators use them to monitor flare stacks (burning off excess gas), valve yards, tank farms, and pipeline junctions. If an operator spots flame or unusual vapor from a tank on camera, they can trigger alarms and emergency shutdowns. Some sites even integrate analytics: video software can alert on sudden heat signatures or motion.

Moreover, high-end models today combine visible and thermal imaging (bi-spectral cameras) to detect overheating equipment or flames even in darkness. Explosion?proof cameras may include built-in IR lights so they see at night, or they are paired with separate IR illuminators. For instance, Pelco’s “ExSite Enhanced” cameras come in PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) and fixed versions, some with long-range IR illumination, all rated for “hazardous locations”. These cameras are literally the “safety eyes” of a plant, keeping 24/7 watch.

Laser?Based Methane Detection: Seeing the Invisible

While cameras can spot flames, laser methane detectors (or laser gas detectors) find invisible leaks. These devices use infrared lasers tuned to methane’s specific absorption wavelength. In simple terms, the detector points a laser beam at a suspected leak area (or continuously scans), and a sensor measures how much light returns. Methane absorbs some of the laser light along the path. By comparing sent vs. received light, the system calculates how much methane is in the beam path.

There are a few types of laser detectors:

• Handheld “point” detectors: These look like a camera or scope. The operator aims at joints or vents. The device sends out a laser pulse; if methane is in the way, the return signal weakens. The instrument quickly displays a reading (ppm-m) of methane concentration over distance. For example, a technician might sweep a laser detector along a pipeline flange. If there’s a leak, the screen spikes, and the device often shows a crosshair on a video image so you can see where the gas is (it often has an integrated video camera to capture the leak spot). Crowcon’s LaserMethane Smart is one such detector: it lets workers stand up to ~30?m away from the leak, shoot a green guide laser at it, and watch the gas concentration readings on screen. These handheld units give immediate confirmation without any contact with the gas.

• Open-path laser detectors: These are fixed units with separate laser transmitter and receiver, set up across a pipeline or corridor. They continuously shoot a beam between two points. If methane drifts between, it “breaks” or attenuates the beam. The receiver sees the signal drop and raises an alarm for a leak. Think of it as a light curtain that senses gas crossing it. This is useful along large pipelines or around storage tanks as a continuous fence against leaks.

• Laser Imaging (LiDAR) systems: These are advanced cameras that scan the whole facility. They work like radar but with laser pulses tuned to methane absorption (so-called “differential absorption LiDAR”). A scanning unit mounted on a tower rotates or tilts, mapping the whole area. It simultaneously collects a normal visual image and a methane image. The result: a color overlay on the facility view that highlights any methane plume in real-time. For example, SLB’s Methane Lidar Camera permanently watches a plant, scanning tens of meters around. When it detects methane, it paints a bright patch on the live video (often yellow/orange) exactly where the leak is. It even estimates the leak rate and size. The Flotta terminal case study showed that such a lidar camera found tiny leaks from a valve and even diffuse tank emissions that handheld methods missed.

Figure: Laser imaging detects a real methane leak. Left: SLB’s methane-overlaid image shows a small leak as a yellow patch on a grayscale camera view. Right: the same scene with distance mapping. This laser-based camera (in a trial at a North Sea terminal) identified leaks that manual surveys would likely miss.

How Laser Detectors Work (Layman’s Terms)

Laser methane detectors use infrared light because methane molecules absorb infrared light at certain colors (wavelengths). The detector’s laser is tuned to one of these colors. When the laser hits methane, the gas grabs (absorbs) a bit of that light. The detector measures this “dip” and translates it into a gas concentration. This is similar in principle to how a CO? laser thermometer works, but here it’s detecting a gas, not heat.

In handheld use, the operator sees exactly where the laser is aiming (often with a reticle or camera overlay). If the laser hits a spot where methane is leaking, the returned signal is weaker – the detector beeps or shows numbers. Because it’s a beam, it can detect methane far away and through transparent windows like grass or smoke. Crowcon’s guide explains: “The laser beam pointed towards areas such as gas piping or ground… is reflected from the target. The device receives the reflected beam and measures the absorptivity of the beam, which is then calculated into methane column density (ppm-m) and displayed”. In practice, you just “point and shoot” at a pipeline weld, a vent, or even just the air. The screen lets you know if gas was in the beam’s path.

Key advantages of laser detection are distance and safety. A gas technician does not have to climb on the tank or crawl under a platform to check for leaks. They can stand a safe distance back (meters away) and scan with the laser. This is a game-changer for inspecting tall gas tanks or the ends of long piping. It also avoids false alarms from dust or other gases: since it uses a very specific infrared color, it is almost 100% selective for methane.

Installation and Real-World Use

Explosion-proof cameras are usually installed permanently at fixed locations. Every hazardous area in a plant (zones where gas might be present) can be guarded by these cameras. For example, an offshore platform might mount cameras on all sides of a flare stack and critical valves. On land, refineries often have dozens of cameras: one article notes that large U.S. refineries use cameras for maintenance support, flare monitoring, and safety patrols. The video streams go to the control room or a security office, where operators can pan/zoom the cameras remotely. In some sites, PTZ cameras (with motors) cover large areas, while fixed cameras keep watch on specific pumps or machinery. Since they’re weatherproof and corrosion-resistant (e.g. 316L stainless steel bodies), these cameras survive offshore spray and desert heat.

Laser methane detectors can be used both as fixed systems and as handheld/portable units. Many oil companies do periodic leak surveys: workers walk the site with a handheld laser gun, scanning each joint and valve. For example, technicians at a gas plant might perform daily or weekly passes, covering all potential leak points with a LaserMethane detector. Because these devices include a camera, they even capture a video record of leaks: the screen can record an image of where the gas was detected, with a timestamp – useful for reporting and repair records.

For continuous monitoring, some facilities install permanent laser imagers. The SLB camera we saw in the Repsol case was mounted on 20?m towers covering a whole terminal. Another approach is aerial: drones equipped with laser sensors (or lidar) can fly pipelines or stand offshore to scan for methane. The Crowcon article even mentions using lasers from drones (LaserFalcon) to scan from above.

In practice, companies often use multiple methods together. For example, BP announced deploying gas cloud imaging cameras and a suite of laser and drone tools at new projects. The idea is: cameras watch constantly, drones or personnel do periodic checks, and if an OGI or laser finds something, crews go fix it.

Real-World Examples

• Repsol Sinopec (U.K.) ran a trial at its North Sea Flotta terminal in 2023. Two fixed methane-lidar cameras were mounted (20?m high) covering the site. They detected several small leaks (from valves and an open-top tank) that were too small for normal human surveys to spot. The company reported that the lidar images let them “locate and quantify emissions even below regulatory reporting limits,” and such continuous scanning could be used to keep large facilities under constant watch.

• BP (Global) has been aggressive about methane monitoring. In 2019 BP announced it would deploy continuous methane imaging (including laser/cloud imaging) on all new oil and gas projects. They tested systems at Oman’s Khazzan gas field and plan to use cameras, drones, and lasers to cut their methane intensity. BP’s COO said “the faster and more accurately we can identify leaks, the better we can respond” to keep gas in the pipe.

• Shell and other majors also run methane detector pilots and rely on these technologies. For instance, Shell tested methane imaging in Alberta. Across the industry, aerial surveys (planes with infrared cameras or lidar) complement fixed cameras.

• Industrial Facilities: Chemical plants and refineries worldwide similarly adopt explosion-proof cameras. Case studies include BP’s Cherry Point (USA) and Shell’s Pernis (Netherlands), where intrinsically safe cameras (a related concept) improved safety and maintenance without sending people into danger.

These examples show a key trend: major oil & gas operators increasingly use continuous, sensor-based monitoring rather than just periodic manual inspection. Explosion-proof CCTV provides constant visual oversight for security and emergencies, while laser methane detectors actively hunt for gas leaks that cameras alone can’t see.

Conclusion

In summary, explosion-proof CCTV cameras and laser methane detectors are vital tools for modern oil and gas operations. The robust CCTV cameras provide “safety eyes” 24/7 in harsh environments, while laser detectors let crews detect invisible gas before it can cause harm. Together, they help prevent accidents and minimize climate impact. By combining sturdy enclosures with smart sensors, the industry gains an extra layer of protection: a leak can be spotted and fixed long before it becomes a fire or an emissions scandal.