INFRAGAUGE APP

Per data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 178,300 people work in the oil and gas industry in the US alone. It’s a multi-billion-dollar industry, and it’s one that comes with many challenges, whether these employers are CEOs of major corporations or the employees working in the drilling operation. Unfortunately, many of the jobs within this industry are quite dangerous, and workers have even lost their lives.

Risks in the Oil and Gas Industry

Every day, men and women across the country put their lives at risk to perform what should be a relatively simple task – gauging tanks to measure the barrels of oil or produced water inside them. Typically, this involves using a gauge tape that is lowered into the tank, then removed. The employee simply looks at the tape, determines where the moisture stops, and takes a reading in this fashion.

However, there are some inherent risks in using this tank gauging method.

• Asphyxiation from tank fumes is a real threat when a thief hatch is opened. Also LEL monitor readings will peg out at 100% and render the LEL monitor useless.
• Fumes from tanks can contain harmful carcinogens; these include, benzene and other harmful VOCs.  
• To reach the top of the tank, employees must often climb steep stairs. These stairs increase the employee’s risk to falling, tripping and/or injury substantially.
• Things like inclement weather can also influence the dangers involved with manual tank gauging. For example, climbing stairs in snow, ice, and rain increases slip and fall risks, while taking measurements in high wind can be treacherous, as well.
• Often, weather conditions can make it difficult to accurately read a correct level from the gauge tape.
• Static electricity is another important factor to consider; fumes can be ignited by a spark from the person gauging or from simply opening the thief hatch.

In response to these risks, some companies have installed TLI’s (Tank Level Indicators), which gauge the level of the tank electronically. Some of these devices use guided wave radar or other technologies to gauge their distance from the top of the tank to the fluid below. While these options are certainly safer than traditional tank gauging methods, they are often unreliable, expensive to maintain or repair, require hardware installation, and require a power source.

Fortunately, there’s a way to avoid these risks.

Introducing InfraGauge

InfraGauge is an application that allows oil and gas industry employees to perform safer, more efficient, and faster tank gauging. Using nothing more than a FLIR ONE® infrared camera and a simple application, it’s possible to determine tank level and liquid volume inside a tank instantly – without the need for expensive tank top hardware, and without the need for a risky venture to the top of the tank. It’s a product that will undeniably save lives, and will improve industry efficiency. Here’s how:

• Climbing stairs takes time—InfraGauge eliminates stair climbing. This increases worker efficiency by allowing employees to focus on production rather than spending hours climbing stairs and manually gauging tanks.
• The readings are accurate and come with little to no safety risk, which can reduce safety concerns on the job and save employers millions of dollars each year in medical costs, insurance claims, lost work days, OSHA recordable injuries and other liabilities.
• Readings are available in real time, and thanks to the application, they can be shared with anyone instantly, anywhere in the world.