Subsurface Hydrocarbon Sensing

Deployed directly into boreholes or monitoring wells, our sensor platform delivers continuous, in-situ measurement of multiple hydrocarbon fractions in soil and groundwater.

Multi-Channel NDIR Spectroscopy

At the core of the platform is a multi-channel non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) optical system that performs low-resolution vapour-phase spectroscopy that a single-channel NDIR device simply cannot. By interrogating the sample across multiple carefully selected wavelength channels, the sensor enables differentiation between hydrocarbon fractions and significantly reduces the cross-sensitivity and interference effects.

Physics-Informed Spectral Interpretation

Channel readings are processed through a proprietary physics-informed model that maps multi-channel optical responses to individual gas concentrations. The model incorporates the underlying physics of infrared absorption, translating robust decomposition of overlapping spectral signatures into reliable, species-resolved concentration estimates.

Vapour-Phase Sampling via Selective Membrane Interface

The sensor includes a microporous membrane engineered to be selectively permeable to hydrocarbon vapours while excluding liquid water, enabling passive, maintenance-free sampling of the vapour phase in direct contact with soil or groundwater. No need for pumps, purge cycles, or consumables!

Regulatory-Grade Concentration Modelling

Vapour-phase measurements are translated to dissolved-phase (groundwater) or adsorbed-phase (soil) hydrocarbon concentrations using established partitioning models accepted by environmental regulators.

Factory Calibration & Quality Assurance

Every sensor undergoes individual calibration during production using a controlled gas delivery system, exposed to a matrix of hydrocarbon species at multiple known concentrations, generating a sensor-specific response profile. This data is used to fine-tune each unit’s physics-informed model. Each sensor must meet defined quality control thresholds before deployment.

Data Acquisition & Connectivity

All sensor data is logged to onboard durable flash memory and transmitted every 30 minutes over LoRaWAN, ensuring continuous live data access with no risk of data loss during communication outages.