Why We Made the MFE Detect LW

The Detect LW is the first ever long-wave, uncooled OGI camera that:

• Meets the EPA’s 40 CFR part 60 Appendix K requirements
• Can be carried by a drone (DJI’s Matrice 300 and 350)
• Was created with affordable pricing in mind
• Comes with AI-powered software to identify leaks in your OGI footage

We’ve been working on the Detect LW for years. And today we’re sharing it with the world.

Keep reading to learn how we developed the Detect LW, and how it will revolutionize inspections for Oil and Gas operations.

Partnering with DJI to Put an OGI Sensor on a Drone

Back in 2019, we saw a storm brewing.

The EPA was requiring more and more inspections in Oil and Gas, with higher standards for data collection. And existing technology couldn’t meet the demand.

A key part of the problem was the need to collect emissions data from the air, in order to fill in the 20% gap that collecting data from the ground leaves.

At the time, the only ways to do this were to:

• Use a helicopter or airplane
• Build scaffolding and do it in person

Helicopters and airplanes are costly, and not an ideal solution for regular maintenance needs.

And the scaffolding approach, in which inspectors walk along an asset with an air monitor wand to “sniff” for gas, is slow, expensive, ineffective—and also bad for the environment.

So we rolled up our sleeves and got to work making our own solution.

“We looked around and asked ourselves, how can we make this more affordable, more scalable as all these regulations are coming down the pike for Oil and Gas.”

– Cody Menchaca, sUAS Product Line Manager at MFE Inspection Solutions

Out of this initial work, we developed an OGI camera in partnership with DJI that would be drone-compatible, allowing Oil and Gas operations to collect optical gas data from the air without having to use expensive crewed aircraft or scaffolding.

That payload launched in 2020, allowing Oil and Gas operations a way to collect data remotely so they wouldn’t have to use the expensive alternatives we covered above.

Lowering the Cost AND Meeting the EPA’s 40 CFR part 60 Appendix K requirements

Above, we listed three pain points for emissions inspections:

• OGI cameras are really expensive
• OGI cameras don’t always meet strict EPA standards
• OGI cameras are limited to the ground (we’ve taken care of this one)

The payload we launched with DJI helped meet the third pain point. But we still had work to do to address the other two.

Toward that end, we began working with Sierra Olympia to develop a lower-cost solution to meet the EPA’s 40 CFR part 60 Appendix K requirements.

How We Lowered the Cost

To lower the cost for the camera, we honed in on a single type of gas—methane. The Detect LW is made to detect methane only, which allows us to make it for a significantly lower cost than other OGI cameras. Also, the Detect LW is half the size of other OGI cameras, which helps lower its cost as well.

This way, companies have the choice to opt for a camera that’s less expensive, if all they need to detect is methane.

How We Met the EPA’s Final Rule of NSPS 40 CFR part 60 Appendix K Requirements

To satisfy the EPA’s Appendix K requirements, we knew that OGI cameras were an acceptable method for documenting whether:

• There was no leak
• There was a leak (that was then fixed)

Specifically, Appendix K requires a minimum detection and visualization (observability) of 19 gr/hr for methane.

This standard requires a high degree of sensitivity. So high, in fact, that many OGI cameras can’t meet it.

But working closely with our partners at Sierra Olympia, we were able to develop the long-wave, uncooled sensor that comes in the Detect LW, which is the first Quad OA-compliant sensor of its kind for methane detection.

BakerRisk Testing with Chevron

We just shared that the Detect LW meets the Appendix K requirements for capturing a minimum detection and visualization (observability) of 19 gr/hr for methane.

But there’s a big difference between how a sensor performs in an optimal environment and how it does in the field.

To put the Detect LW through its paces, we joined Chevron’s BakerRisk Testing this year, an invitation-only opportunity to test our equipment. BakerRisk is a company that specializes in hazard mitigation and risk management, providing testing scenarios designed to evaluate a product’s performance and assess potential risk.

To do these tests, Chevron rents out a BakerRisk facility and does controlled releases of different gases, testing the equipment of partners like MFE to see how well they perform.

In total, the BakerRisk team helped Chevron perform a staggering count of 67 different tests. The tests included detecting and observing for a gas leak of 19 gr/hr for methane, as required by Appendix K.

But it also stretched the OGI technology, looking for a leak of 5 kilograms an hour at a distance of 300 feet.

The findings? The Detect LW passed all 67 tests, collecting high-quality data that allowed inspectors to spot both the 19 gr/hr leak and the 5 kg/hr leak at 300 feet, along with dozens of others.

AI Software for Automated Leak Detection

The EPA is currently rolling out Quad OB (OOOOb) requirements for Oil and Gas operations, which call for more frequent inspections.

These new requirements coupled with Appendix K—the part of the EPA’s rules that detail the distance standards for OGI technology we shared above—make for a challenging new landscape when it comes to Oil and Gas inspections.

Put simply, companies will now need to do inspections more often and the technology they use must be more sophisticated—at the same time.

This is where MFE’s AI-powered leak detection software comes in.

We developed this software over the last several years, and it’s a key part of our strategy to help companies meet the EPA’s requirements. The software automates leak detection, allowing companies to automatically analyze their OGI data.

All inspection personnel need to do in the field is capture video using their OGI camera—then the software will analyze it and help find potential leaks. So a newer team member can capture the data, saving the analysis for later by a more experienced journeyman, bridging the gap for new inspectors.

“The EPA’s OOOOb is going into effect, and it requires Oil and Gas companies to do more inspections than ever before. MFE’s new OGI camera, combined with its AI software, will allow companies to keep up with that new volume. And that’s a huge win for these companies.”

– Jeff Leake, VP of Sales at Sierra Olympia

AI Leak Detection Software for All OGI Devices—Not Just MFE’s

One key aspect of the software that’s important to note—it’s completely hardware agnostic.

That means you can use the software with data from any OGI camera you might have, not just the Detect LW.

Have data from your own drones or other handheld OGI sensors? No problem, our software can analyze it.

Oh, and one more thing. Since it’s trained using AI, the more you use the software, the smarter it gets.

So What’s Next?

The EPA’s Quad OB (OOOOob) regulations are set to bring even bigger changes to emissions inspections.

These new rules will expand beyond upstream and midstream operations to include downstream assets, and they’ll require inspections at an even greater frequency.

For downstream companies—where every piece of equipment, from flare stacks to pipelines, is an asset—this means gearing up for a significant increase in both scope and complexity.

And here’s the problem. While regulations are pushing for more thorough coverage, there aren’t enough trained inspectors or advanced technologies readily available to handle this shift. Companies already face a steep learning curve, and the demand for inspections will only keep growing.

The good news? The solution is already here.

The Detect LW can be used both by hand and by drone, allowing you to close the 80/20 gap for methane detection in a cost-effective way.

And for analyzing the data, our AI-powered software will let teams focus on collecting footage, letting the AI speed leak detection.

This approach will mean fewer inspectors can do more, scaling up to meet the increased demand—without sacrificing accuracy.

Learn more about the MFE Detect LW now.