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The Scenario

Your facility receives an automated methane detection alert from a satellite flyover. Within minutes, you need to determine if this represents a genuine leak requiring immediate field response, a known operational activity, or a false positive. The stakes are high: genuine leaks need rapid repair to minimize environmental impact and regulatory exposure, while false alarms waste valuable field resources. Meanwhile, regulators expect complete documentation showing exactly what happened, when it occurred, which equipment was involved, and how it was resolved. Traditional approaches leave you juggling multiple systems—checking operational logs in one place, dispatching field crews through another, and manually piecing together compliance reports from scattered data sources. This fragmented process leads to delayed responses, incomplete documentation, and difficulty defending your emissions data during audits.
Who This Applies To: Facility managers, environmental compliance officers, operations supervisors, and field coordinators responsible for methane leak management Common Triggers: Automated satellite detections, continuous monitoring alarms, drone survey alerts, or manual reports of suspected emissions

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What You’ll Accomplish

Primary Goal

Create a complete, defensible emission event record from initial detection through final resolution with full audit trail and compliance documentation

Success Metrics

Reduce investigation time by 60%, eliminate double-counting in compliance reports, and achieve 100% audit-ready documentation for all emission incidents

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Workflow Overview

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Step-by-Step Walkthrough

1

Receive and Assess the Initial Detection

When an automated methane detection alert arrives, immediately access the Emission Events dashboard and filter for “Open” status events. The newest detection appears at the top with preliminary information including location, time, and detection source.Key Assessment Questions:
  • Is this at a location with recent operational activity?
  • Are there multiple detections that might represent the same leak?
  • Does the timing align with scheduled maintenance or operations?
2

Initiate Quick Triage Through Follow-up Requests

If the detection’s nature is unclear, create an “Ops Comment” follow-up request to quickly determine if this represents a known operational activity or requires leak investigation.Action Steps:
  • Click the emission event to open the detail panel
  • Select “Ops Comment” from the follow-up actions
  • Add specific questions: “Was there planned venting at Tank 403 between 2-4 PM yesterday?”
  • Include relevant operators and supervisors as email recipients
  • Submit to create a trackable work item with automatic notifications
This typically resolves within 2-4 hours, preventing unnecessary field dispatches for planned activities.
3

Correct Asset Attribution for Accurate Tracking

Verify the emission is attributed to the correct facility and specific equipment. Accurate attribution ensures field crews go to the right location and compliance reports reflect the true emission source.Attribution Process:
  • Review current attribution in the event detail panel
  • Click “Attribution” if correction is needed
  • Select the correct source asset from the proximity-ordered list
  • Choose appropriate Source Category (OGMP 2.0 compliance)
  • Add explanation: “Corrected from Separator 12 to adjacent Compressor 5A based on wind patterns”
  • Save changes to update timing calculations automatically
4

Group Related Observations to Prevent Double-Counting

If multiple detection sources (satellite, drone, continuous monitoring) have identified the same leak, group them into a single emission event to prevent inflated volume calculations.Grouping Decisions:
  • Review the “Group Observations” option in the event panel
  • Select “Add Existing” to find related events within the 90-day window
  • Choose detections that clearly represent the same physical emission source
  • Consider timing, location, and asset attribution when deciding
  • Confirm grouping to create consolidated volume calculations
Example: Satellite detection at 9:00 AM, drone confirmation at 11:30 AM, and continuous monitor alarm from 8:45 AM all represent one leak—group them together.
5

Create Field Investigation Work Orders

For confirmed or suspected leaks, initiate formal field investigation through structured follow-up requests that create trackable work orders.Investigation Options:
  • Field Inspection: General investigation for uncertain cases
  • OGI Request: Optical gas imaging for visual confirmation
  • Data Collection: Structured forms for detailed equipment information
Include priority level, specific investigation requirements, and all relevant context. The system creates work orders, sends notifications, and updates the event status to “In Progress.”
6

Document Operational Context with Manual Observations

When field investigation reveals a planned operational activity (like a compressor blowdown), add a manual observation to provide complete context and more accurate volume calculations.Documentation Process:
  • Click “Add Observation” or access the “CreateNew” tab
  • Enter precise operational timing from maintenance logs
  • Input actual emission rates from equipment specifications
  • Add detailed description: “Scheduled compressor blowdown for valve maintenance - Compressor 5A”
  • Upload supporting documentation (work orders, maintenance logs)
  • Submit to integrate with the detection data
This creates defendable audit trails and improves volume accuracy for compliance reporting.
7

Track Progress and Verify Completion

Monitor work order progress through the event status system. Events automatically progress from “Open” to “In Progress” when work orders are created, and move to “Closed” when all resolution criteria are met.Verification Checkpoints:
  • Confirm field crew completion reports
  • Verify follow-up surveys show no ongoing emission
  • Ensure all required documentation is attached
  • Review final volume calculations for accuracy
Events that don’t auto-close indicate missing information or ongoing work requiring attention.

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Role-Based Access Control

Emission event management capabilities vary based on your assigned user role:
  • Viewer: Can view emission events but cannot create, update, or manage them
  • Editor: Can create and update emission events, create follow-up requests, and manage event attribution
  • Administrator: Full create and update access to emission events and all related workflows
  • Super Admin: Complete access to all emission operations features
Learn more about user roles and what each can do in the User Roles and Permissions guide.

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Key Considerations

Permissions Required:
  • Emission event management access
  • Work item creation rights
  • Asset attribution permissions for your facilities
  • Follow-up request creation capability
System Dependencies:
  • Integration with field management systems for work orders
  • Email notifications for follow-up requests
  • Asset database with current facility and equipment information
  • Continuous monitoring integration (if applicable)
Regulatory Requirements:
  • OGMP 2.0 source category classification for all attributions
  • Complete audit trail documentation for all manual actions
  • Accurate time boundaries for emission duration calculations
  • Supporting documentation for operational vs. fugitive classifications
Compliance Timing:
  • Initial response within regulatory reporting timeframes
  • Field investigation scheduling based on leak severity
  • Documentation completion before quarterly reporting periods
  • Audit trail preservation for regulatory inspection readiness
Field Operations:
  • Coordinate with planned maintenance schedules
  • Integrate work orders with existing dispatch systems
  • Align investigation priorities with operational resources
  • Maintain equipment attribution accuracy through asset updates
Data Quality:
  • Regular validation of asset attribution accuracy
  • Consistent source category classification
  • Complete documentation of manual observations
  • Verification of grouped observation relationships

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Common Variations

High-Volume Facility Scenario

Adaptation: For facilities with frequent detections, establish standardized triage workflows with pre-defined follow-up request templates and automated grouping rules to handle volume efficiently while maintaining accuracy.

Remote Operations Scenario

Adaptation: When field access is limited, emphasize detailed remote investigation through comprehensive data collection requests and leverage historical operational data to distinguish planned activities from genuine leaks.

Multi-Asset Complex Scenario

Adaptation: For large facilities with multiple emission sources, establish asset attribution protocols with specific distance criteria and equipment identification procedures to ensure accurate source tracking across the complex.

Continuous Monitoring Integration

Adaptation: When continuous monitoring systems are present, create automated workflows that correlate alarm data with satellite detections and establish thresholds for automatic vs. manual triage decisions.

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Troubleshooting & Best Practices

Do This

Start with Ops Comments for Uncertain CasesAlways begin with quick triage to avoid dispatching field crews to planned operational activities. This prevents resource waste and maintains crew availability for genuine emergencies.

Do This

Group Related Detections Before Creating Work OrdersConsolidate multiple detections of the same leak before initiating field work to ensure crews understand the complete scope and prevent duplicate investigations.

Not That

Don’t Skip Attribution VerificationIncorrect attribution sends crews to wrong locations and creates inaccurate compliance data. Always verify and correct attribution before creating field work orders.

Not That

Don’t Create Multiple Follow-up Requests for the Same IssueDuplicate requests create confusion and waste resources. Check existing work items before creating new follow-up requests for the same emission event.
Common Resolution Issues:
  • Events Won’t Auto-Close: Check for missing equipment attribution, incomplete work orders, or unresolved continuous monitoring alarms
  • Volume Calculations Seem High: Review grouped observations for duplicate time periods or incorrect emission rate data
  • Field Crews Report “Nothing Found”: Verify attribution accuracy and check for recent operational activities that might explain the original detection

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Real-World Example

Acme Energy’s Gulf Coast facility received a satellite methane detection alert on Tuesday morning near their main compressor station. Using the complete event management workflow, the operations team first sent an “Ops Comment” request to the morning shift supervisor, who confirmed no planned activities. They then corrected the attribution from the general facility to specific Compressor Unit 3, grouped it with a continuous monitoring alarm from the same time period, and created an OGI inspection request. The field technician found a leaking valve connection, completed the repair, and uploaded confirmation photos. The entire process—from detection to documented resolution—was completed within 18 hours with full audit trail.
Result: Reduced average investigation time from 3 days to 18 hours, eliminated 40% of unnecessary field dispatches, and achieved 100% audit readiness with complete documentation trails.“This workflow transformed our methane response from reactive scrambling to systematic resolution. We now confidently meet all regulatory requirements while optimizing our field resources.” - Environmental Manager, Gulf Coast Operations

Emission Quantification Accuracy

Learn how proper event management creates more accurate volume calculations through correct time boundaries and source attribution.

Root Cause Analysis Investigation

Use investigation tools and operational context from event management to determine equipment failure patterns and prevent future incidents.

Compliance Reporting Automation

Transform properly managed emission events into automated compliance reports with accurate volume calculations and complete audit trails.

Preventive Maintenance Integration

Connect emission event patterns with maintenance scheduling to address equipment issues before they become significant leak sources.