ABB’s complete Advanced Leak Detection Platform enables leaks to be identified across the full natural gas infrastructure, including upstream, midstream, and downstream – with greater speed and reliability than previously possible. It achieves this by integrating advanced, cybersecure measurement technologies with sophisticated data analytics.
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The patented OA-ICOS technology provides distinctive benefits that make ABB’s gas analyzers a preferred option.
OA-ICOS combines durable, dependable near-infrared diode lasers with an optical cavity to deliver highly precise, sensitive measurements in a straightforward, robust design. This precision and sensitivity enable leak detection from greater distances while also helping locate small, difficult-to-identify emissions.
The technology also offers an exceptionally wide dynamic range, producing a linear response across a substantially broader range than conventional CRDS and TDLAS techniques. This allows the same technology to accurately quantify both minor and major leaks.
OA-ICOS delivers strong performance across all major measurement criteria, including accuracy, measurement speed, linearity, and reliability. Its durable, simplified design is built for dependable field operation and enables quick servicing when required, helping to minimize downtime.
The technology also provides excellent value, as analyzer performance remains stable despite minor changes in optical alignment. This allows simpler components and subsystems without compromising analytical performance.
Together, these advantages form the basis of ABB’s comprehensive range of OA-ICOS-based solutions, developed to support virtually any leak detection application.
MobileGuard™
The MobileGuard solution detects, localizes, and quantifies natural gas leak emissions while a vehicle moves.
Find Leaks Quickly
- Surveys mains and service lines during the same drive-by operation, producing a coverage area of pipeline surveyed.
- Prioritize emissions based on high risk areas, proximity to pipelines, emission rate, and more.
- Determines characteristics and persistance of emission sources by simultaneously measuring methane and ethane.
- Transfers survey information to MicroGuard™, allowing emission sources to be pinpointed within minutes.
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MicroGuard™
MicroGuard™ enables walking surveyors to identify precise leak locations and create or share detailed digital reports within minutes. The system detects, locates, and maps natural gas leaks more rapidly and reliably than other available technologies.
Leak surveyors no longer have to rely on slow, outdated, or insufficiently sensitive equipment when searching for gas leaks in distribution pipelines, storage facilities, or other parts of the natural gas infrastructure.
This specialized portable gas leak detection system includes ABB’s highly sensitive OA-ICOS™ gas analyzer, a ruggedized phablet – a large phone/tablet device – with GNNS capability and a high-brightness display, an ergonomic air-sampling wand, and proprietary software.
MicroGuard™’s advanced software features an intuitive graphical user interface, a computational environment for geospatial mapping and advanced analysis, and automatic generation of investigation reports that are compatible with all major geographic information systems.
Most importantly, MicroGuard™ can incorporate drive-survey information, including emission indications, recorded and shared in the cloud through MobileGuard™. This allows walking surveyors to identify emission sources in only a few minutes.
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HoverGuard™
HoverGuard™ supports the detection and mapping of natural gas leaks during flight, delivering exceptional speed, precision, and dependability. The system is designed to identify leaks in challenging, hard-to-access locations, including bridges, high-rise buildings, pipelines, areas affected by right-of-way limitations, and locations with dense vegetation.
By surveying from the air, HoverGuard™ can detect, accurately locate, and estimate the scale of natural gas leaks while covering 10–15 times more land per minute than conventional methods. This significantly reduces survey times and enables effective monitoring of areas that may be inaccessible by road or on foot.
The system combines patented OA-ICOS™ laser technology with wind-velocity and GNSS sensors and advanced data analytics. Together, these technologies enable customers to identify and assess leaks near difficult-to-access sources within minutes, providing a fast, accurate, and reliable solution for aerial natural gas leak detection and mapping.
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ABB Ability™ Cloud Analytics for Gas Leak Detection
ABB Ability™ Cloud Analytics gives users unprecedented visibility into leak detection data through a centrally hosted, cybersecure web application.
MobileGuard™ software automatically stores survey data in the cloud and converts it into actionable information through an analytical dashboard. The platform provides immediate access to structured, searchable, and filterable data organized by location, time, and relevant conditions. Whether users are examining trends or investigating specific problems, the dashboard supports faster and more informed decision-making.
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ABB Ability™ EmissionVision
Powered by ABB Ability™ Cloud Analytics, EmissionVision consolidates all MobileGuard™ survey information within a single cloud-based platform. Utilities gain immediate remote access to emission locations, emission magnitudes, and historical trends through interactive maps and real-time dashboards.
Automated work-order creation replaces manual workflows and paper-based processes. EmissionVision assigns emission indications to field technicians by location, and its offline functionality supports continuous field operations even without connectivity. EmissionVision's companion mobile web application allows field technicians to view potential leak sources and investigate them efficiently. The platform is fully compatible with ABB’s MicroGuard and conventional handheld devices, enabling teams to transition smoothly from mobile detection to leak pinpointing while preserving complete data integrity.
Flexible export functions and integrated filters simplify compliance reporting and help teams prioritize areas with the greatest potential impact.
EmissionVision combines modern detection capabilities with established field procedures, delivering the efficiency, visibility, and practical insights needed to reduce emissions and achieve regulatory objectives faster.
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This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by ABB Level Measurement Products.
For more information on this source, please visit ABB Level Measurement Products.