A smart approach to gas detection in all stages of the oil and gas industry

Sensitron's SMART S series of gas detectors are crucial for the safety of workers and environments and ensure accuracy even in the oil and gas industry, one of the harshest working environments. This industry is divided into three macro-categories: upstream, midstream, and downstream.

The upstream category includes onshore and offshore drilling operations and is dedicated to detecting and extracting oil and natural gas. This phase requires specific machinery and equipment, which workers must carefully use and adequately prepare. It is here that the first gas hazard is encountered: hydrogen sulphide. H2S is highly toxic and flammable and can cause loss of consciousness and even death, even at low concentrations. Therefore, accurate and reliable gas detection is essential.

The midstream category covers storage of crude oil and natural gas, transportation, and processing. During this phase, which takes place through pipelines overland or large tankers by sea, gas detection is critical to ensure the safety of workers and prevent possible leaks or spills, helping to ensure the integrity of storage tanks and transportation equipment.

The last one, the downstream, includes refining and processing oil and natural gas to distribute finished products. At this stage, raw materials are processed and transformed until they become usable in various areas, from fuelling to heating homes. At this stage, natural gas is divided into hydrocarbons and fluids to produce pipeline-quality gas. The Sensitron’s SMART S gas detector can be customised by choosing a sensor head, basic board and enclosure. It can detect flammable, toxic, CO2, VOCs, and refrigerant gas, and it is certified Hardware SIL2 and Software SIL3, ATEX cat.2 explosion-proof, and IS, IECEx.