Multifunctional sensors allow operators to digitize their asset monitoring and receive alerts on produced water leaks, temperature fluctuations outside of operating temperatures, and other critical environmental field data.
The oil and gas industry requires different types of monitoring resources and sensors to accommodate the wide array of assets used in production. To satisfy our clients’ diverse needs, we have developed a multifunctional IIoT system made up of other environmental, field-condition sensors along with Direct-C’s proprietary polymer nanocomposite-based sensors.
Direct-C’s multifunctional sensors provide additional environmental and field information that is critical to operational efficiency and asset integrity. By monitoring other environmental and field conditions, operators can actually extend the life of their current infrastructure, mitigate product loss and ensure environmental safety.
Water plays vital roles in many oil and gas operations. Further, water is also produced during extraction processes. This water used in production is known as “produced water” and is highly contaminated. Proper handling, managing, and disposing of contaminated water is critical for the oil and gas industry. Direct-C’s Research & Development teams use the same novel approach as the polymer nanocomposite hydrocarbon sensors to formulate liquid-water-sensing polymer nanocomposite sensors.
These sensors are capable of detecting any produced water mixture and can be used to detect very small amounts of water present.
In Figure B above, the length of exposure to produced water (x-axis) is compared to the change in resistance (y-axis) of the produced water sensors. The sensor showed an immediate response with more than a 200% change in resistance within 100 seconds of exposure.
Direct-C’s SubSense monitoring system is used to monitor product leak on below-ground pipelines using the IoT EdgeTM device ground probes. The ideal location for these probes is close to the groundwater table or partially submerged in the groundwater so that leaking hydrocarbons will reach the nanocomposite sensors.
However, if the probes are completely submerged in water, product leak is not able to reach the hydrocarbon sensors. To mitigate operation during flooding conditions, our probes are designed with liquid hydrocarbon sensors on one side and water level sensors on the other. Operators will receive warnings in their Nektar portal dashboard to show when water levels are too high. By deploying these multifunctional sensor probes, operators can monitor liquid hydrocarbon leaks and groundwater tables to ensure assets are not operating during flooding conditions.
Direct-C’s multifunctional monitoring systems can also include traditional thermistors to provide temperature data on the monitoring asset.
Operators have the ability to designate their temperature operating threshold for each asset that contains a monitoring system. When the temperature drops below this threshold, the operator will be alerted to avoid product or assets freezing.
Direct-C’s monitoring systems disrupt traditional monitoring methods by digitizing leak detection and monitoring other critical field data to create ease-of-use for the operator and extend the life of oil and gas infrastructure.
Learn about our IIoT Systems
Nanocomposite technology allows you to be alerted instantly in the event of even the smallest droplets of liquid hydrocarbon. Even better, Direct-C’s proprietary technology was engineered to not provide any false positives.
Discover the Nanotechnology
Direct-C’s monitoring systems now offer produced water leak detection and low-temperature alerts.
Learn more about how multifunctional sensors can provide critical field data to automate your asset monitoring process.
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