QB Energy and Qube Technologies Resolve Thief Hatch Leak Leading to 97% Emissions Reduction
“Another Win for Continuous Monitoring!”
Air Compliance Manager - QB Energy
Background
As part of a proactive emissions reduction strategy, QB Energy partnered with Qube Technologies to deploy continuous methane monitoring at its Colorado sites. The joint effort focused on establishing emissions baselines and implementing real-time detection systems to catch issues as they arise – before they escalate into compliance or operational challenges.
Challenge
In April 2025, Qube’s continuous monitoring platform detected elevated methane levels at a QB Energy tank site. The system automatically alerted field operators and localized the emissions to the tank area (Fig. 1a). Simultaneously, operators observed a sharp drop in combustor flow – an indicator that vapors were escaping before reaching combustion.
An AVO inspection was promptly conducted, but no emission source was identified with this technique.
Solution
Guided by real-time localization data from Qube’s dashboard, operators returned to the tank area and conducted an OGI survey. The OGI camera confirmed a leak from an improperly seated thief hatch (Fig 1b, c). The operator reseated and secured the thief hatch on-site.
Figure 1. Qube’s continuous monitoring dashboard detected elevated emissions and localized to the tank area (a). An OGI survey confirmed emissions from a leak in the thief hatch (b, c), which was resolved on site.
Results
Within hours of the fix:
Methane emissions dropped by 97%, falling well below the established baseline.
Combustor flow returned to expected levels.
Continuous data from Qube’s platform verified leak resolution and ongoing performance.
Takeaway for Operators
This case study highlights the value of combining Qube’s continuous monitoring with conventional LDAR methods. While AVO alone failed to detect the leak, Qube’s persistent data and localization tools led operators directly to the issue.
For QB Energy, the Qube partnership enabled faster response, confirmed repairs, and measurable emissions reduction.
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