Leak Detection and Repair

Overview

Small leaks from valves, flanges, pump seals, compressor seals, connectors and open-ended lines are found in every oil, gas, refining and petrochemical facility. Individually they may seem minor, but together these fugitive emissions can release large quantities of volatile organic compounds, methane and toxic substances, wasting product, contributing to climate change and air pollution, and creating fire and health risks. Leak detection and repair programmes find and fix these leaks systematically, and they are increasingly required by regulators and by company commitments to reduce methane emissions.

This course provides a practical understanding of leak detection and repair programmes for industrial facilities. Participants learn the sources and causes of fugitive emissions, the regulatory drivers and the main elements of an effective programme. The course covers component identification and tagging, monitoring methods using portable analysers, optical gas imaging cameras and other technologies, leak definitions and screening values, and emission estimation. It also explains repair practices and timelines, delay of repair, quality assurance and data management, recordkeeping and reporting, safety during monitoring and repair, and how to reduce leaks through better design, component selection and maintenance.

Objectives

• Identify sources and causes of fugitive emissions in process plants
• Explain regulatory drivers and the elements of a leak detection and repair programme
• Identify, tag and inventory components subject to monitoring
• Use portable analysers, optical gas imaging and other monitoring methods
• Apply leak definitions and estimate emissions from monitoring data
• Plan and verify repairs and manage delay of repair cases
• Manage data, quality assurance and reporting and reduce leaks by design

Who should attend

Training methodology

The course combines explanation of emission sources and monitoring methods with practical exercises using component inventories, monitoring records, optical gas imaging videos and repair data. Participants identify components on drawings, plan monitoring routes, interpret analyser readings and camera images, calculate emissions using standard factors and correlation equations, and prioritise repairs. Demonstrations of portable analysers and imaging cameras are included where available. Case studies show how facilities reduced methane and VOC emissions through effective programmes. Each day ends with a short quiz and discussion of leak issues at participants' sites.

Programme outline

Dates and fees

Certificate

Frequently asked questions