Faster Leak Detection Without the Guesswork

If you’ve ever used a handheld gas detector or waved around a soap bottle hoping to catch a whiff of something leaking—you already know: it’s slow, limited, and often just guesswork. We’re out there chasing ghosts. That’s what made this conversation with Daniel Moseley from Distran so interesting.

Starting in Switzerland in 2012, they have been building traction across Europe. Now they’re growing fast in the U.S.—and their ultrasonic gas leak detection technology is starting to show up across oil and gas facilities, including right here in Alaska.

So what’s different about it?

Instead of looking for gas, like OGI cameras do, this tech listens for it.

When gas escapes under pressure—even just a PSI or two—it makes turbulence. That turbulence produces ultrasound (think of the high-pitched sound you get blowing air through your lips). Distran’s camera picks up those ultrasonic signals and pinpoints the exact location of the leak—then overlays it visually on an image, so you can literally see the sound.

No guessing. No interpreting strange cloud patterns. You turn it on, point it, and if something’s leaking—it tells you.

What makes it better than what we already use?

In a head-to-head test with OGI and FID at the METEC facility, Distran’s system:

• Detected 100% of the reportable leaks

• Took one-quarter of the time to do it

• Used half the manpower

• Required almost no training to use

That last point is huge. OGI takes skill, practice, and interpretation. Distran’s camera is plug-and-play. Even folks using it for the first time were finding leaks in less than an hour.

Where it really shines

• During startup and turnarounds – It works at low pressures (1–2 PSI is enough), and it doesn’t matter what gas you’re using—air, nitrogen, hydrogen.

• In noisy or complex environments – No need to get close or make contact. You can pick up leaks from dozens of feet away.

• When speed matters – You’re not soap-spraying miles of pipe. You’re walking, scanning, and spotting what needs fixing—fast.

• Vacuum leaks and non-visible gases – This includes hydrogen, helium, nitrogen, and even air. Distran’s tech is “gas agnostic.”

  
  

On the regulatory side

The EPA is already in weekly talks with Distran. They’re expecting the tech to be approved as an Alternative Test Method for methane inspections under QUAD-O. That means it’ll sit right alongside OGI as a valid tool for compliance—and may even be easier to train and deploy.

How it works in the field

The camera weighs about 3 lbs, comes with two batteries (each lasting about 2.5 hours), and it’s designed for industrial use—including in intrinsically safe environments. They’re getting UL HazLoc certification soon. You can strap it on, use it with one hand, and still keep your three points of contact. They’ve even got a peripheral alert system that tells you when there’s a leak just outside your camera view.

It’s already being used by:

• Shell (including offshore on the Vito platform) See on: YouTube

• Chevron

• Phillips 66

• ConocoPhillips

• Hydrogen fueling stations

• Nuclear and aerospace operations

• Sites across the Gulf Coast, Midwest, Canada, and now Alaska

  
  

Buying, Shipping, and Calibration

Distran’s cameras ship directly from Port Arthur, Texas—not Europe—so you’re not dealing with overseas delays, tariffs, or language barriers. Once a purchase order is submitted, lead time is typically just a few business days.

Most companies choose to buy the units outright, but renting is also an option, especially useful during big projects like turnarounds or commissioning when extra coverage is needed. Some teams even take a shared-cost approach, splitting the price across departments like maintenance, operations, and reliability, then rotating the unit based on need.

As for calibration, it's only required every four years. Distran handles reminders, and while your camera’s being serviced, they’ll send a loaner so you’re never without coverage.

Bottom line

If you’re responsible for keeping leaks under control—whether that’s methane, hydrogen, nitrogen, Vacuum or air—this tech is worth a look. It’s fast, accurate, simple to use, and versatile across different gases. It's not meant to replace every tool in your kit, but it fills some big gaps and does it well.

Want more oilfield insights and tools?

• Listen to the full podcast episode with Daniel Moseley and more on oil and gas innovations at The Crude Cast.

• Read more from the field—visit our Crude Communication blog for stories, strategies, and practical tools.

• Improve your communication in the field with the book Crude Communication, packed with strategies for collaboration, mentoring, and field leadership.

• Explore ultrasonic gas leak detection technology directly at Distran’s official website.

• Understand OGI validation and EPA compliance standards at epa.gov.

And as always—if this post was helpful, send it to someone who should see it. We’ll keep bringing you tools, ideas, and real conversations that help you get the job done better.