ADIPEC 2026 takes place in Abu Dhabi from November 2 to 5. During the exhibition, Teledyne FLIR introduced new capabilities for its ADGiLE automated gas emissions monitoring system, extending its original methane-focused applications to additional gases and industrial settings. In the launch announcement, Craig O\u2019Neill, Global Director of Product and Market Strategy, Optical Gas Imaging at Teledyne FLIR, said combining gas imaging, intelligent analytics and more flexible camera configurations gives operators continuous visibility of facility emissions and helps distinguish genuine problems from conditions that could trigger unnecessary alarms.<\/p>\n
According to FLIR, ADGiLE combines optical gas imaging (OGI), gas detection analytics and a user interface to support the identification and assessment of emissions events. The expanded configurations address different gases, installation environments and monitoring requirements, covering methane, other hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds, with additional capabilities for ammonia and ethylene detection. Applications include tanks, valves, pipelines, separators and well-pad facilities.<\/p>\n
Pipeline & Gas Journal\u2019s exhibition coverage described live monitoring views, incident playback, historical information and graphical event data. Alerts can link directly to individual incidents for remote assessment. The analytics also account for environmental factors such as wind speed, temperature differences and rainfall to help distinguish emissions events from potential false alarms. FLIR is presenting ADGiLE at Booth 9413 in Hall 9.<\/p>\n
The Day 1 show daily also examined continuous monitoring. In a contributed article on page 58, Stephen Beynon, Director of EMEA Sales, Optical Gas Imaging at Teledyne FLIR, noted that emissions are not necessarily continuous and that intermittent events can be missed by intermittent monitoring. He described imaging hardware, analytics, connectivity, remote access and alarm management as parts of a connected monitoring workflow, highlighting the importance of visual evidence in understanding events and prioritising responses. Source:<\/p>\n
Operators\u2019 attention to methane reduction was also reflected in the Day 2 show daily. Page 18 featured an interview with Moufdi Chikh, President of TotalEnergies EP UAE and TotalEnergies Country Chair for the UAE. He identified methane as an operational emissions priority and discussed using digital technologies and AI to analyse operating data, improve asset performance and identify emissions-reduction opportunities. He emphasised that technology applications should deliver measurable benefits in reliability, safety, efficiency or emissions reduction. Source:<\/p>\n
Together, these announcements and show daily contributions raise a practical question for methane management: when emissions occur only at certain times, how can monitoring improve the chances of capturing an event and provide evidence for follow-up investigation?<\/p>\n
When designing a monitoring programme, a single inspection result needs to be understood in relation to its time, location and detection conditions. Changes in equipment operation, or emissions beginning after an inspection ends, can produce different findings at different observation times.<\/p>\n
STARPATH GLOBAL therefore sees both spatial and temporal coverage as important considerations in methane monitoring. Wide-area screening helps identify locations for further investigation, close-range inspections add equipment-level detail, and continuous monitoring at selected locations helps establish when events occur, how long they last and whether they recur.<\/p>\n
This division of tasks is particularly relevant to oilfields and pipeline networks with dispersed facilities and large numbers of assets. Monitoring resources should be configured around asset distribution, historical records and site conditions so that different observation methods complement one another.<\/p>\n
At the regional scale, satellite data with suitable methane detection capabilities can be incorporated into screening programmes to help plan further investigations. Conventional optical imagery can provide information about facility locations, site layouts and surrounding changes, but cannot itself be treated as a methane detection result.<\/p>\n
Within priority areas, drones carrying appropriate gas detection payloads can support inspections, alongside close-range checks by field personnel. Tasks should be planned around wind direction, equipment locations and operating information to help narrow the area of investigation.<\/p>\n
At suitable locations, fixed gas imaging systems or sensors can add continuous observations over time. Their coverage still depends on field of view, obstructions, detection conditions and maintenance requirements, which need to be assessed through site surveys and testing.<\/p>\n
The monitoring workflow also needs to distinguish between different findings. Once a gas signal is detected, facility layouts and operating records help establish its possible source and whether it represents routine process emissions or an unintended leak requiring attention.<\/p>\n
Where the task includes estimating emissions rates, appropriate methods, environmental data and quality controls are also needed. Gas detection, source localisation and emissions quantification should be reported separately, so that a finding from one stage is not used to imply a conclusion that requires additional evidence.<\/p>\n
Each event should retain its observation time, equipment type, detection conditions, supporting evidence and verification findings. Checks after repairs, followed by continued observation where needed, help establish whether an event has been resolved or continues to recur.<\/p>\n