Single photon range imaging for natural gas sensing SPRINGS
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bristol
Department Name: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Abstract
Gas sensing is a growing market, with Oil & Gas leak detection alone expected to grow to $3.38B in 2022. One can detect individual gas species by measuring the infrared absorption associated with bond stretching in the gas molecules. The most sensitive methods use laser radar (LIDAR) techniques particularly differential absorption LIDAR (DIAL) where tunable pulsed lasers are used to obtain transmission data on and off-line allowing a calibrated measurement of absorption and thus gas concentration. Existing long range methods have used expensive pulsed solid state lasers and standard avalanche detection methods. Here in SPRINGS we use off-the-shelf communications diode lasers and single photon counting detection to develop a quantum inspired LIDAR capable of detecting the lowest concentration of natural gas leaks required by the industry out to a 200 metres operational distance. This brings a 10-fold sensitivity improvement over our closest competitor on the market and enables a fast scanning and imaging capability. A lightweight and low power, version could by mounted on a drone to delivers up to 30 miles per hour surveying speed for gas leak detection in pipelines and/or landfill sites. To ensure long-term leadership, we also develop a quantum-enhanced prototype, taking us to mid-IR wavelengths, for a further 10-fold performance gain, exploiting quantum interference and parametric frequency conversion. This also open up the possibility for other gas species for Oil & Gas exploration and possibly remote detection of explosives.
The project involves University of Bristol and three SME industrial partners. ID Quantique UK will deliver the single photon LIDAR core technology platform while QLM adds the gas sensing capability and SKY Futures will provide drone integration and validation in industrial settings.
The project involves University of Bristol and three SME industrial partners. ID Quantique UK will deliver the single photon LIDAR core technology platform while QLM adds the gas sensing capability and SKY Futures will provide drone integration and validation in industrial settings.
Planned Impact
One of the main goals of SPRINGS is to provide high sensitivity gas surveying capabilities to the Oil & Gas industry, both for environmental protection and for exploration. In fact gas sensing is a rapidly growing market, with Oil & Gas leak detection alone expected to grow to $3.38B in 2022.
With the enhanced sensitivity and efficiency of the SPRINGS LIDAR leak detection will be a major part of this service. The target customers are thus the Oil & Gas infrastructure operators. By utilizing the survey services that are able to identify very small leaks, they can repair the problems at an early stage in the development, preventing major failures and explosion risks. In terms of the impact of the UK photonics industry, there are hundreds of small and medium size companies in the UK are manufacturing optical devices, particularly for fibre optical components in the SWIR telecommunication band using III-V materials. In terms of the wider economics implications, we believe a project like the SPRINGS, using quantum inspired system technology that utilises telecommunication wavelength optical components could act as a future flagship of UK photonic sensing industry.
The work in Bristol University could lead to patentable IP in the domain of parametric sensing methods and of course our Industrial partners are the primary beneficiaries of these developments.
With the enhanced sensitivity and efficiency of the SPRINGS LIDAR leak detection will be a major part of this service. The target customers are thus the Oil & Gas infrastructure operators. By utilizing the survey services that are able to identify very small leaks, they can repair the problems at an early stage in the development, preventing major failures and explosion risks. In terms of the impact of the UK photonics industry, there are hundreds of small and medium size companies in the UK are manufacturing optical devices, particularly for fibre optical components in the SWIR telecommunication band using III-V materials. In terms of the wider economics implications, we believe a project like the SPRINGS, using quantum inspired system technology that utilises telecommunication wavelength optical components could act as a future flagship of UK photonic sensing industry.
The work in Bristol University could lead to patentable IP in the domain of parametric sensing methods and of course our Industrial partners are the primary beneficiaries of these developments.
People |
ORCID iD |
John Rarity (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Frick S
(2020)
Quantum Rangefinding
Ono T
(2019)
Observation of nonlinear interference on a silicon photonic chip
in Optics Letters
Hance J
(2021)
Counterfactual ghost imaging
in npj Quantum Information
Couteau C
(2023)
Applications of single photons to quantum communication and computing
in Nature Reviews Physics
Couteau C
(2023)
Applications of single photons in quantum metrology, biology and the foundations of quantum physics
in Nature Reviews Physics
Description | We proved that a chip based non-linear interferometer would work. It operates at 1.55um close to the gas sensing wavelength of interest. We developed FPGA based time tagging instruments suitable for application to timing arrival of single photons for single photon rangefinding applications. |
Exploitation Route | This work is being continued in an Innovate UK grant SPLICE, starting June 2020. |
Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Energy Environment |
URL | https://www.qlmtec.com/ |
Description | The findings have been used in an NPL methane sensing trial and several others since the project ended. Our system is being compared to existing methane detectors with favourable results and commercial development continues apace. This has led to the award of a further Innovate UK grant SPLICE Single Photon Lidar Imaging of Carbon Emissions (£2.4M). Our start up company QLM Technologies (https://qlmtec.com/) who led SPRINGS and SPLICE has raised several millions including a large investment from Schlumberger to developing methane sensing solutions. Two further small grants have been funded with QLM: EPINGS a partnership fund from the EPSRC QUANTIC Technology Hub and UPSENSE an Innovate UK funded collaboration |
First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
Sector | Energy,Environment |
Impact Types | Economic |
Description | QuantIC - The UK Quantum Technology Hub in Quantum Imaging |
Amount | £23,965,172 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/T00097X/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2019 |
End | 11/2024 |
Description | Single Photon Lidar Imaging of Carbon Emissions (SPLICE) |
Amount | £2,442,955 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 106174 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2020 |
End | 08/2022 |
Description | The EPSRC Quantum Communications Hub |
Amount | £26,348,141 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/T001011/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2019 |
End | 11/2025 |
Description | Glasgow University |
Organisation | University of Glasgow |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This is the QUANTIC c.ollaboration a quantum technology hub (Physics: Prof Miles Padgett) Also a partner in our Programme grant through Prof Robert Hadfield. |
Collaborator Contribution | From QUANTIC we have funding and also many chances for engagement activities through the national quantum tecthology showcase. Hadfield group work on preparing integrated superconducting photon counting detectors |
Impact | Annual quantum technology showcase 2016-2018 Various publications in the my list |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Heriot Watt University: Programme grant |
Organisation | Heriot-Watt University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Funded the team of Prof Gerald Buller from our Engineering Quantum Photonics |
Collaborator Contribution | Germanium on silicon photon counting detectors. Quantum Rangefinding demonstrations (in QUANTIC) |
Impact | Highest efficiency single channel germanium on silicon photon counting detectors working at 125K with performance comparable to InGaAs detectors (publication pending) |
Start Year | 2014 |
Company Name | QLM Technology |
Description | QLM Technology develops a quantum sensing system for the oil and gas industry, for the detection of methane leaks from well-heads and pipelines. |
Year Established | 2017 |
Impact | Raised £150K of venture capital and some £300K of Innovate UK funding to develop prototype systems |
Website | http://www.qlmtec.com |
Description | BQIT (Bristol Quantum Information Technologies) Workshop 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | This is the annual quantum information workshop organised by Bristol, chared again this year by Prof John Rarity |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.flickr.com/photos/cqpbristol/sets/72157694318687751 |
Description | Invited talk at Sensing with Quantum Light, Bad Honnef, Germany |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Prestigious workshop focussed on quantum sensing |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.we-heraeus-stiftung.de/veranstaltungen/sensing-with-quantum-light/ |
Description | Quantum 2022 Summer school on Quantum Technologies |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Gave a summer school lecture on quantum sensing at the Apulia summer school |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://agenda.infn.it/event/21449/ |
Description | Quantum Technology showcase November 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Showcase of quantum technologies. We have exhibited: Hand held quantum key distributions Chip-scalequantum key distribution Quantum light sources for sub-shot noise measurement Quantum pair photn sources for rangefinging Remote gas sensing using single photon detection Quantum network technologies |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016,2017,2018,2019 |
URL | http://uknqt.epsrc.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/ |