Beyond Leak Detection: Why Network Intelligence Is the Future of Gas Operations

The natural gas industry is evolving—and fast. Traditional leak detection, while essential, is no longer enough to meet growing demands around emissions reduction, safety, and regulatory compliance.

The next step? Network Intelligence.

Why Integration Matters - Unlocking Value Through System Compatibility

In today’s utility landscape, new technologies are only as valuable as their ability to work with the tools you already use. That’s why Picarro’s emissions intelligence platform is built for integration. 

From GIS to work order systems, PSMS to capital planning tools—Picarro connects the dots. 

Built for Compatibility

The Picarro system is natively designed to integrate with:

Beyond Compliance: The Need for a Global Network Intelligence Approach

As governments and regulatory bodies worldwide tighten methane emissions standards, the energy industry faces a pivotal moment: compliance is no longer enough. With PHMSA’s forthcoming regulations in the U.S.

The EU Methane Regulation is now in effect, bringing stringent new requirements for measuring, monitoring, reporting, and reducing methane emissions across gas distribution networks. With deadlines fast approaching, operators must act swiftly to develop a compliant Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) program while ensuring operational efficiency.

The Fall 2024 Picarro Gas Conference, held in Amsterdam this year, brought together 56 leaders from 31 companies across Europe for three days of insightful discussions, hands-on workshops, and future-focused presentations. The event provided a platform for natural gas operators to explore the latest advancements in methane emissions management and compliance with the new EU Methane Regulation.

At Picarro, innovation is at the heart of everything we do, and today, we’re thrilled to introduce something we believe will truly transform the way natural gas operators work—the Picarro Handheld. This new device isn’t just another tool in the toolkit; it’s the next step in revolutionizing leak detection and management, and we couldn’t be more excited to share it with the world.

Why This Handheld Matters

Thinking Outside the Box

Thinking outside of the box is a critical mechanism for any innovative product; however, understanding the capabilities and foundation of why the box exists in the first place is crucial.

Addressing methane emissions is critical in combating climate change, alongside efforts to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

This article will serve as a guide to selecting a suitable vehicle for use in Picarro AMLD drive survey usage.

Welcome to an exploration of the future of pipeline safety and environmental standards. We're diving headfirst into the game-changing proposals put forward by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).

Natural gas distribution system operators (DSO) around the world must detect and measure methane emissions to find and eliminate hazardous leaks, meet financial budgets and shareholder expectations, and address environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals. 

Mitigation can only happen once DSOs understand their emissions. It can be very challenging to account for fugitive emissions in a distribution network which may contain millions of pipe segments and other assets representing potential point emitters. 

Methods of Estimating Network-Wide Gas Leak Flow Rates - Which is Best for Your Utility?

The key to understanding and tackling the methane emissions problem is to identify, measure, quantify, and reduce the methane emissions from your business activities. Knowing the total emissions volume of your organization is a critical step toward meaningfully reducing emissions and taking credit for those reductions.

In our recent podcast on methane abatement, part of our expert series, which features the perspectives of industry leaders on the challenges and advancements in gas and energy sectors, Picarro’s Francois Rongere, Senior Director Solution Architect, Climate and Safety, and Sean MacMullin, Senior Director of Software and Data Analytics, discuss the relationship between methane detection, quantification, and abatement programs, aiming to illuminate the future of methane emission management.

In our recent podcast, we tackled the critical issue of methane data collection, leak detection and emissions measurement - uncovering the current state of the industry and its potential future directions. Our guest experts, Picarro’s Francois Rongere, Senior Director Solution Architect, Climate and Safety, and Sean MacMullin, Senior Director of Software and Data Analytics, shared their perspectives and offered unique insights into this evolving industry.

Gas operators are increasingly being challenged to reduce methane emissions, and to do so in a continuous, verifiable way. This challenge at its most extreme has some cities recently banning natural gas in new construction. Further, as the infrastructure ages, gas operators face challenges in managing budgets and unplanned work due to an accelerating rate of growth in the number of leaks emerging from leak-prone pipe. These pressures are driving the need to manage gas assets as cost-effectively as possible.

The future of natural gas leak detection is the subject of two recent publications.

In January, Picarro introduced a first-of-its-kind solution for natural gas pipeline leak detection and measurement, based on our new series of methane isotope analyzers. The new solution, called the Picarro Surveyor™ for Natural Gas Leaks, measures methane plumes in the air, maps them, and then immediately alerts users and repair teams upon leak detection in real-time while traveling at normal driving speeds.

Das FORUM Gas Wasser Wärme hat in seiner ersten Ausgabe 2025 einen spannenden Fachartikel zur Einführung der fahrzeuggestützten Methode zur Abbildung von Methanemissionen auf dem Gasverteilnetz veröffentlicht. Der Artikel geht auf die konkreten Vorgaben der EU-Methan-Verordnung ein und erläutert im Anschluss, mit welchen Methoden und Lösungen Branchenakteure die Einhaltung der entsprechenden Vorgaben erreichen können.

The EU Methane Regulation is now in effect and contains numerous provisions for the precise measurement, quantification, monitoring, reporting, and verification of methane emissions, as well as for emission reduction through LDAR (Leak Detection and Repair) activities, repair obligations, and restrictions on venting and flaring. 

With LDAR program submissions due in May 2025 and first emissions reports required by February 2026, now is the time to implement a comprehensive, data-driven compliance strategy.

We provide natural gas operators around the globe with the most effective and proven path to net zero methane emissions, and actionable data through direct methane measurements.

 

This brochure offer a quick glance into Picarro's four primary use cases and how they may impact your operations.

Picarro offers a comprehensive suite of analytics tools to provide visibility into your natural gas infrastructure at a degree of accuracy not possible.

The ability of the Picarro system to measure a large area quickly and quantify the relative risk of leak indications has made it popular with multiple natural gas utilities for emergency response in communities after disasters and other catastrophic events.

Picarro announced that it has been certified for ISO 27001:2022 (Information Security Management Systems), ISO 27017 (Cloud Security), and ISO 27018 (Data Privacy), and successfully completed its Service Organization Controls 2 (SOC 2) Type 2 examination.

Picarro Inc., in collaboration with Netz Niederösterreich (Netz NÖ), has successfully completed a large-scale, short-timeline methane emissions inspection project in response to the newly enforced EU Methane Regulation.

Picarro released the P-Cubed® Mobile App, a fully native mobile application designed to enhance the leak investigation user experience and transform leak investigations through integration with the Picarro Handheld. Technicians connecting a Picarro Handheld to the app now have live methane and ethane concentration data at their fingertips for real-time source discrimination

SANTA CLARA, Calif.

COVENTRY, England and SANTA CLARA, Calif. – August 13, 2025 – Cadent, the UK’s largest gas distribution network and Picarro Inc., a global leader in methane emission management and reduction solutions, today announced that Picarro’s solutions were selected for deployment throughout Cadent’s network as part of an expansion of the partnership between the two companies.

Santa Clara, CA – June 23, 2025 – Picarro Inc., a global leader in methane emission management and reduction solutions, and GTI Energy, a technology development and training organization, today announced the extension of their partnership on GTI Energy’s Veritas Initiative. The companies will continue to collaborate to further develop, validate, and implement Veritas’ technical protocols for reducing methane emissions in the natural gas industry.

Cloud-based capabilities and real-time data analytics key to Picarro’s comprehensive methane emissions management solution winning top honor

Santa Clara, CA, April 10, 2025 — Picarro Inc., a leader in methane emissions measurement, today announced that Emissions360™ has been recognized as a Top Product of the Year in the prestigious E+E Leader Product & Project Awards. Judges recognized Emissions360™ as an outstanding example of innovation in the natural gas industry.

Santa Clara, CA – September 23, 2024 – Picarro, a global leader in Natural Gas Leak and Emissions management technologies, announces the launch of its state-of-the-art Handheld solution, designed for Natural Gas operators.

Centennial, Colorado (September 3, 2024) – Colorado Natural Gas (CNG) is proud to announce the addition of a new cutting-edge technology to its operations. This year, CNG has introduced a vehicle to its fleet that is equipped with advanced leak detection capabilities. The vehicle, which has been retrofitted by Picarro, is helping enhance the safety and reliability of CNG's system while also reducing the potential direct emissions from the pipeline network.

Santa Clara, CA – August 1, 2024 – Picarro Inc., a global leader in methane emission measurement, quantification, and reduction solutions, today announced the signing of a milestone Master Agreement with Italgas. Effective from 2024 through 2031, this strategic partnership demonstrates Italgas’ continued trust in Picarro’s technology and its commitment to sustainability, safety, and digitizing the gas network.

Milano (Italia), Santa Clara (California-USA) — 2 March 2022 - Italgas strengthened its partnership with Picarro Inc. through the acquisition of a minority share of the US company, a leading technology start-up in the field of sensors applied to the monitoring of gas distribution networks, as well as in technologies designed for those sectors requiring extremely sensitive measurements, such as environmental measurements of the concentration of Hazardous Air Pollutants and the electronics industry for the detection of impurities in semiconductor foundries.

Combination of Advanced Analytics and Technology Will Enable Accurate Methane Emissions Quantification and Aid in Efficient Leak Detection 

Combination of P-Cubed Analytics Software and Advanced Methane Detection Hardware Recognized for Excellence in Energy Management

Italgas expands fleet to 20 Picarro-equipped vehicles to accelerate efforts to reduce emissions and ensure public safety 

Santa Clara, CA, April 12 , 2021 — Picarro Inc., the industry leader in analytics-driven leak detection and methane emissions quantification solutions, will be participating in the Western Energy Institute’s Operations Conference. The annual event held online April 19-22 brings together over 600 electric and natural gas energy operations senior leaders, managers, supervisors, and front-line employees for three days of education and networking, with breakout discussions. 

Picarro’s solutions are focused on helping our customers operate cost-effective, safe and clean gas networks.

Former PG&E Exec to Lead Energy Division of Premiere Natural Gas Asset Management Company

Advanced data analytics allow operators to enhance decision making around reducing risk, managing leak survey and repair budgets, and complying with regulatory obligations

Santa Clara, CA — April 24th, 2019 — Picarro, the leading provider of intelligent natural gas asset management solutions, will be attending the 2019 AGA Operations Conference & Biennial Exhibition.

Gas operators leverage Picarro’s state of the art software analytics and visualization tools for a more real-time and predictive view of their gas system infrastructure (Left: Alex Balkanski, CEO Picarro, Right: Paolo Gallo, CEO Italgas) 
 

～ Domestic Deployment of Natural Gas Pipeline Inspection Service by Using Vehicle-based Methane Concentration Measurement System and Analytics ～

Overview

Moderated by Sean McMullen, Director of Client Programs & Solutions at Picarro, this session explored how leading utilities are scaling Advanced Mobile Leak Detection (AMLD) programs from pilot to enterprise operations.

Panelists included:

Overview

In a forward-looking and deeply operational keynote, Stefano Guglielmo — Head of Asset Performance & Technology at Italgas — shared how the company transformed from a legacy gas distributor founded in 1837 into a global leader in network digitalization and methane emissions reduction.

Overview

In this reflective and energizing session, Alex Balkanski (President & CEO, Picarro) sat down with Nick Stavropoulos, the former President & COO of PG&E, for an open fireside chat on transformation, partnership, and the human side of technological change.

“From Emissions to Safety: The Next Leap Forward”

In an insightful close to PGCC Fall 2025, Alex Balkanski, President and CEO of Picarro, delivered a keynote that reframed how the gas industry defines progress — not just in emissions reduction, but in cost efficiency and public safety.

Overview

In a virtual keynote delivered from Paris, Alan Mayberry — former Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety at Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) — shared his personal journey through four decades of pipeline safety evolution, the shifting regulatory landscape, and his clear message to industry leaders: “Don’t stop.”

Overview

In this dynamic and fast-paced session, Jacob Cansler (Lead Product Manager, Gas Software, Picarro) and Kyle Kreuser (Product Manager, Mobile Applications, Picarro) unveiled the latest advancements in the Picarro Cloud-Based (P-Cubed(R)) software ecosystem, highlighting major 2025 product enhancements and giving attendees a first look at innovations coming in 2026.

Overview

Moderated by François‑Xavier Rongère, Vice President of Natural Gas Industry at Picarro, this forward-looking panel explored how utilities are transitioning from compliance-based leak management to risk-informed, system-level safety programs.

Overview

Moderated by Tom Dockery, Director of Product Management at Picarro, this session spotlighted real-world customer success stories from across North America, showcasing how utilities and service providers are using Picarro’s network intelligence platform to solve unique operational challenges.

Panelists included:

Overview

Moderated by Julien Klein, Director of Product Management for Natural Gas at Picarro, this panel explored the evolution of methane emissions management from pilot programs to full-scale operational integration. Joining him were Srijana Rai, Principal Analyst, Zero Emission Systems, GTI Energy and Technical Director, Project Veritas, Jeremy Handler, Environmental Principal for Climate, NiSource, and Allen Tran, Data Analyst, Picarro.

Overview

Moderated by Tom Dockery, Director of Product Management for Natural Gas at Picarro, this closing panel brought together four of the industry’s most experienced leaders in advanced mobile data collection. Representing a combined 150,000–200,000 miles of annual survey coverage, the panel featured:

Overview

In his closing-morning remarks at PGCC Fall 2025, François‑Xavier Rongère, Vice President of Natural Gas Industry at Picarro, reflected on the event’s achievements and shared an optimistic vision for the industry’s next chapter.

Overview

In this candid and energizing keynote, Emeka Igwilo — Chief Data Officer and VP of Operations Support at Southern Company Gas shared a decade-long story of transformation: from early skepticism about emerging leak detection technology to building one of the largest and most strategically integrated AMLD (Advanced Mobile Leak Detection) programs in the country.

One Technology, Countless Landscapes, Infinite Insights. 

Picarro operates the largest Advanced Mobile Leak Detection (AMLD) fleet in the world, setting the industry benchmark for precision, scale, and impact. Trusted globally by utilities and environmental agencies, Picarro’s technology brings operational excellence at scale, enabling proactive, data-driven pipeline integrity programs.

Transform your leak survey practices with the Picarro Handheld. Our innovative solution blends high-performing hardware with cloud analytics to redefine leak detection. Powered by a state-of-the-art open-path laser spectrometer (OPLS) sensor, our handheld delivers fast response times and PPB level sensitivity to methane and ethane. The Picarro Handheld enhances your leak detection capabilities, allowing you to pinpoint leaks with greater accuracy and speed.

Alexander Balkanski delivered an insightful closing keynote at the 2024 Fall Picarro Gas Community Conference, reflecting on Picarro’s transformative journey and the pivotal role of emissions-based detection in shaping the future of gas distribution. Balkanski engaged the audience by recounting Picarro’s 15-year evolution, emphasizing the critical need for modern gas utilities to shift focus from traditional concentration-based detection methods to advanced emissions analytics. 

This panel revolves around a groundbreaking product launch for a new Picarro Handheld, designed specifically for the natural gas industry. This unique handheld device seeks to overcome the barriers posed by existing tools, offering enhanced sensitivity, seamless data transfer in real-time to cloud services, and an overall superior efficiency in detecting and investigating gas leaks.

PRESENTATION: Preparing for Hydrogen in Gas Distribution Networks

Speaker: Torsten Lotze, Project Lead, E.ON 

Topic: Transforming Gas Distribution for Hydrogen Compatibility

The recent panel at the 2024 Fall Picarro Gas Conference concentrated on the implementation of a playbook for the EU methane regulation. They emphasized that the larger leaks must be tackled first and foremost, ascertaining that emissions are effectively reduced by focusing on emission rates, not just concentration readings. The panel reiterated the significance of industry best practices to stay compliant with the regulation's requirements, including repair deadlines for leaks above 1000 ppm.

Topic: Ensure Compliance with the new EU Methane Regulation

Moderator: Renato Winkler, PhD, Senior Director, Picarro

Panelists:

In his groundbreaking keynote speech Nick Stavropoulos, President & COO, Retired PG&E, discussed the influential advancements in technology being used to detect leaks within the natural gas industry. He accredited Alex Balkanski (President & CEO, Picarro) and his team at Picarro for their major contributions in these technological evolutions.

Leak quantification unlocks the potential to implement methane abatement programs to reduce emissions and meet emission reduction targets/goals. The leak sizes in the distribution system span over several orders of magnitude, and prioritization is the key strategy to have an effective methane abatement program.

Last year this was our hottest breakout session so we’ve decided to make it prime time! In this panel we will hear from multiple operators sharing short anecdotes of how the Picarro solution has added value, led them to surprising insights, offered an unexpected or shoulder benefit from their initial use case, or otherwise increased safety, efficiency, or improved outcome.

Centered around the integral topic of business risk management, the panel discussion brings to the forefront the importance of advanced analytics and emissions data collection. The participants, each an expert from their respective fields, impart their experiences and knowledge about risk management strategies, the advantages of data collection and advanced analytics, and Picarro’s instrumental role in the detection and repair of leaks.

The panel discussion covered a broad range of topics centered on the implementation and management of new deployments in the energy sector. A key focus was placed on the critical role of change management and stakeholder investment. Establishing a dedicated analyst team was recommended to improve fine rates and domain knowledge, with an optimal analyst to car ratio suggested at 1:5, though this may vary.

Part I of the Technology Showcase conference panel delved into the latest advancements in emissions management, highlighting the crucial role of new technological tools in boosting efficiency and accuracy. Key innovations discussed included the cutting-edge Emissions 360 platform, designed to streamline emissions monitoring, and the state-of-the-art Picasso handheld methane detector.

In the conversation, we sit down with Paolo Gallo, CEO of Italgas and Alex Balkanski, President and CEO of Picarro to discuss their journey towards digital transformation and sustainability. Italgas has been successful in achieving cost savings and minimizing emissions which has been a game-changer for the company. A digital platform specifically designed for sustainability reporting has been developed and it has been a significant focus for the company to use AI for predictive maintenance to improve business processes.

Day 3 – Risk Management Day – kicked off with a discussion of Picarro’s latest developments in risk-based leak management, combining the power of direct measurements with key risk factors derived from existing data sources – GIS, DIMP. The team stepped through some exciting new dashboards and unveiled some exciting advancements in technology.

Participants joined us for an empowering closing keynote delivered by Francois Rongere, Senior Director – Solution Architect Climate and Safety, Picarro. An expert in environmental science and technological solutions, Rongere tackled the urgent need for action, highlighting why “The Time Was Now” for corporations and organizations to step up their environmental accountability.

Alex Balkanski, President & CEO of Picarro, delivered an insightful and rousing opening keynote at the 2024 Spring Picarro Gas Community Conference. Driven by a mission to revolutionize gas distribution worldwide, Alex stresses the importance of learning from customers globally.

Unearth the secrets to successful compliance through a data-driven approach in this enlightening breakout session with Talmadge Centers, VP Gas Business Development, Picarro. Learn about the crucial role of process improvement and data collection in meeting regulatory standards and how strategic planning can pave the way for better financial outcomes.

In this video, Britney Strout with Summit Utilities discusses Picarro's impact on the leak survey industry. It’s praised not only for meeting compliance needs but also as a valuable tool for emergency and preventative situations (00:00:03-00:00:21). Picarro’s technology enables faster response times, leading to cost and time savings while ensuring system reliability and safety (00:01:29-00:02:26). Ms. Strout also notes that Picarro can be quickly deployed to detect leaks on both the customer’s and the company’s side (00:02:53-00:03:24).

Introducing a new Picarro podcast featuring Chris Rison from Cadent Gas. Join us as we deep-dive into the energy industry, presenting innovative solutions and best practices that drive operational efficiency and safety in the natural gas sector. This is a goldmine of data-backed insights to streamline your processes and enhance operational reliability. Case studies from experts in the industry will help you meet the challenge of integrating new technologies without compromising on safety and regulatory standards. At Picarro, we're committed to powering operational success for natural gas

Ed Wahl shares his presentation on Picarro's Methane and Ethane analyzer.

Our esteemed panel discusses the launch of Picarro's Super Emitter program and reviews what to expect.

 

Measuring and quantifying methane emissions from the natural gas value chain has gained significant attention across all stakeholders, such as regulators, policymakers, scientists, consumers, and the shareholders of gas utilities. Many industry leaders have committed to ESG goals including methane emissions reduction targets, acknowledging the importance and urgency of reducing the carbon footprint from the energy sector.

Discover the latest in methane emissions monitoring in the newest episode of the Picarro Community Green Forum. Lead by our very own Tracy Boyd, the podcast dives into the complexities of gas and energy sector challenges. Through enriching discussions with Jacob Cansler and Andrew Kidd, Picarro product managers, listeners gain valuable insights into the world of methane data collection, leak detection, and emissions measurement.

Welcome to PCG Volume 4: emissions360™ - A Holistic Approach to Emissions Measurement & Reduction. In this episode of the Picarro Community Green Forum, we dive deeper into methane data collection, leak detection, and emissions measurement. Our experts, Jacob Cansler and Sean MacMullin, share insights on the award-winning emissions360, Picarro's solution to emissions measurement and reduction. 

In a recent interview with Picarro, Amanda Harmon, Director of Zero Emissions Systems

Humorously unpack terms like "LISA," "FoV," and "Super Emitter" with the Picarro Gas Team's take on wrong answers only. Enjoy the video while brushing up on your industry lingo!

MI Best: Consumers Energy

Retired President & COO of PG&E, Nick Stavropoulos, shares his goals for partnering with Picarro in order to boost efficiency. 

Retired President & COO of PG&E, Nick Stavropoulos, shares his goals for partnering with Picarro in order to boost efficiency. 

At the 2023 GRIDTech Conference, Picarro received a notable endorsement from none other than Pier Lorenzo Dell'Orco, CEO of Italgas Reti.

"We have reduced dramatically the number of odor calls, which in my view... is the most reliable KPI because it's completely guided by people and not by the company itself. We have reduced our [odor] calls by about 40% compared to the baseline of 2018. So it has been a really successful story." - Pier Lorenzo Dell'Orco, CEO of Italgas Reti

Catch the highlights from GRIDTech Conference 2023, where Dr. Renato Winkler, Sr. Director at Picarro, delivered his GRIDTech Talk on cutting-edge solutions for reducing methane emissions in gas infrastructure. Explore the journey from measurement to mitigation as Dr. Winkler shares insights on addressing methane emissions in this impactful session.