Context

Inspectahire was contracted to deliver an urgent and precise specialist survey to pinpoint a leak at an on-site anaerobic digestion plant for a UK food manufacturer. A field team with deep expertise in Optical Gas Imaging (OGI) technology and ATEX-compliant survey work was on-site within hours.

Challenge

A UK food manufacturer operating a 2,800m³ on-site anaerobic digestion (AD) plant detected a small leak in the roof of its anaerobic bioreactor during a routine inspection.

The leak posed two immediate risks:

  • Environmental impact - methane emissions needed to be controlled to meet regulatory and sustainability commitments.

  • Operational safety - maintaining safe pressure and operating conditions was critical for ongoing plant performance.

Time was of the essence. The client contacted Alpheus for urgent support, who in turn engaged Inspectahire to deliver a specialist survey capable of pinpointing the leak with precision and speed.

Work undertaken

Rapid deployment of OGI survey specialists

Inspectahire mobilised a field team with deep expertise in Optical Gas Imaging (OGI) technology and ATEX-compliant survey work. Within hours the team was on site, ready to conduct a targeted methane leak assessment without the need for shutdown.

Advanced leak detection techniques

The survey combined:

  • Optical Gas Imaging cameras - highly-sensitive thermal-imaging devices capable of visualising methane plumes in real-time, even from small pinhole leaks.

  • Gas analyser “sniffer test” - calibrated instruments to verify gas type, concentration and emission rate for quantification and regulatory reporting.

This dual-approach allowed Inspectahire to:

  • Identify the exact location of each leak.

  • Measure the scale and emission rate of methane escape.

  • Provide immediate, actionable data to Alpheus for repair planning.

Survey findings

The OGI survey identified four pinhole leaks across the bioreactor roof. Although production levels were temporarily reduced, meaning immediate risk was lower, Inspectahire advised that prompt repair was still critical to prevent escalation and to remain compliant with safety and environmental standards.

Facilitating safe and effective repairs

Based on Inspectahire’s survey data, Alpheus implemented a temporary repair solution using Belzona - a high-performance industrial sealant - allowing operations to continue safely until the planned full tank emptying and permanent repair.

The leak locations and severity grading provided by Inspectahire meant:

  • Repairs could be targeted exactly where needed, saving time and cost.

  • Work could be completed in a single day, minimising operational disruption.

  • Safety controls could be tailored for each repair site based on risk profile.

Outcome

  • Zero unplanned downtime - operations continued without interruption.

  • Environmental compliance maintained - methane emissions minimised and documented for regulatory reporting.

  • Data-driven repair plan - detailed OGI survey results to inform both temporary and permanent repair strategies.

Inspectahire’s rapid response and specialist gas imaging capabilities provided the critical intelligence that enabled safe, efficient and compliant repair work in a high-risk ATEX environment.