Identifying and remediating a gas leak

Abstract

A method and an unmanned surface vehicle for identifying and remediating a gas leak. The method includes detecting a first condition indicative of the gas leak with a first sensor and sensing environmental conditions near the gas leak with an environmental sensor. The method includes receiving, at a controller operatively coupled to the unmanned surface vehicle, signals representing the first condition indicative of the gas leak the environmental conditions near the gas leak. The method includes determining, by the controller and based on the first condition indicative of the gas leak and the environmental conditions near the gas leak, a navigation plan of the body of water including an ignition zone. The method includes positioning, based on the navigation plan, the unmanned surface vehicle relative to the ignition zone and discharging, by an ignition mechanism, an ignition source into the gas leak to ignite the gas leak.

1 . A method for identifying and remediating a gas leak using an unmanned surface vehicle configured to operate on a body of water, the method comprising:
 detecting, by a first sensor of the unmanned surface vehicle, a first condition indicative of the gas leak;   sensing, by an environmental sensor of the unmanned surface vehicle, a plurality of environmental conditions of an environment near the gas leak;   receiving, by a controller operatively coupled to the unmanned surface vehicle, a signal representing the first condition indicative of the gas leak and a signal representing the plurality of environmental conditions near the gas leak;   determining, by the controller and based on the first condition indicative of the gas leak and the plurality of environmental conditions near the gas leak, a navigation plan of the body of water, the navigation plan comprising an ignition zone;   positioning, based on the navigation plan, the unmanned surface vehicle relative to the ignition zone; and   discharging, by an ignition mechanism of the unmanned surface vehicle, an ignition source into the gas leak to ignite the gas leak.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is a thermal sensor and detecting the first condition indicative of the gas leak comprises detecting a temperature difference of the gas leak relative to the environment. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is an optical sensor and detecting the first condition indicative of the gas leak comprises detecting an optical parameter of the gas leak relative to the environment. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of environmental conditions comprises at least one of wind speed, wind direction, ambient temperature, humidity, pressure, an obstacle, water current speed, water current direction, or water temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the navigation plan comprises:
 determining a starting location of the unmanned surface vehicle;   determining of a source of the gas leak; and   determining a route comprising a plurality of waypoints from the starting location to the ignition zone.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein determining the navigation plan comprises determining an geographic coordinate for each of the plurality of waypoints. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein discharging, by the ignition mechanism of the unmanned surface vehicle, the ignition source into the gas leak comprises aiming the ignition mechanism at the gas leak. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ignition source comprises at least one of a flame, a flammable gel, a fire ball, or a spark. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein discharging the ignition source into the gas leak to ignite the gas leak is at a first time, the method further comprises, at a second time after the first time:
 detecting, by the first sensor, a second condition indicative of the gas leak continuing;   sensing, by the environmental sensor, a second plurality of environmental conditions near the gas leak;   receiving, by the controller, a signal representing the second condition indicative the gas leak continuing and a signal representing the second plurality of environmental conditions near the gas leak;   determining, by the controller and based on the second condition indicative of the gas leak and the second plurality of environmental conditions near the gas leak, that another discharge by the ignition mechanism into the gas leak is needed; and   discharging, by the ignition mechanism, the ignition source into the gas leak to ignite the gas leak at the second time.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gas leak is from at least one of an offshore gas processing facility, an onshore gas processing facility, an offshore drilling rig, an onshore drilling rig, or a pipeline. 
     
     
         11 . An unmanned surface vehicle configured to operate on a body of water for controlling a gas leak, the unmanned surface vehicle comprising:
 a gas leak sensor configured to detect a condition indicative of the gas leak;   an environmental sensor configured to detect an environmental condition indicative of an environment near the gas leak;   an ignition mechanism configured to discharge an ignition source; and   a controller operatively coupled to the gas leak sensor, the environmental sensor, and the ignition mechanism, the controller configured to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a signal representing the condition of the gas leak from the gas leak sensor; 
 receiving the signal representing the condition of the gas leak from the environmental sensor; 
 determining, based on the condition of the gas leak and the environmental condition indicative of an environment near the gas leak, a navigation plan of the body of water, the navigation plan comprising an ignition zone; 
 positioning, based on the navigation plan, the unmanned surface vehicle relative to the ignition zone; and 
 discharging the ignition source by the ignition mechanism into the gas leak to ignite the gas leak. 
   
     
     
         12 . The unmanned surface vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the gas leak sensor comprises at least one of a thermal camera or an optical camera. 
     
     
         13 . The unmanned surface vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the environmental sensor comprises at least one of camera, a radar, a global positioning system, an inertial navigation system, an acoustic sensor, a laser, a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a humidity sensor, a wind speed sensor, a wind direction sensor, a water current speed sensor, water current direction sensor, or water temperature sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The unmanned surface vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the ignition mechanism comprises an actuator and at least one of a flammable gas source configured to flow a flammable gas stream or a flammable gas ball, a flammable gel source, or a spark emitter. 
     
     
         15 . The unmanned surface vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the ignition mechanism comprises a gimbal configured to aim the ignition mechanism at the gas leak. 
     
     
         16 . The unmanned surface vehicle of  claim 11 , further comprising a propulsion sub-system configured to position the unmanned surface vehicle, the propulsion sub-system comprising:
 a motor operatively controlled by the controller;   at least one of a propeller or a water jet powered by the motor; and   a rudder operatively controlled by the controller.   
     
     
         17 . The unmanned surface vehicle of  claim 11 , further comprising a power sub-system comprising a battery. 
     
     
         18 . The unmanned surface vehicle of  claim 11 , further comprising a communications sub-system comprising an antenna configured to transmit and receive control signals and status signals from the controller to a user. 
     
     
         19 . A method comprising:
 detecting a gas leak;   positioning an unmanned surface vehicle proximal to the gas leak; and   discharging, by the unmanned surface vehicle, an ignition source into the gas leak.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein positioning the unmanned surface vehicle proximal to the gas leak comprises positioning the unmanned surface vehicle relative to an ignition zone of the gas leak. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the ignition zone is defined by a range in which an ignition mechanism of the unmanned surface vehicle can deploy an ignition source into the gas leak. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein positioning the unmanned surface vehicle comprises determining the ignition zone for the gas leak based on a condition indicative of the gas leak and an environmental condition indicative of an environment near the gas leak.