Heath intrinsically safe Remote Methane Leak Detector (RMLD-IS) is an eye-safe laser-based natural gas detector (methane) that can quickly and efficiently detect leaks up to one hundred feet away allowing remote detection of difficult to access places such as; busy roadways, locked yards, underground piping, compressor stations, offshore platforms, plant/industrial inspections, gas processing plants, gas gathering, drilling sites, landfills, difficult terrains and more. When the infrared laser beam is transmitted from the launch port, some of the laser light is reflected back and converted to an electrical signal that carries the information needed to deduce the methane concentration. The RMLD-IS has proven to be a highly effective leak survey instrument, compared to flame ionization and similar equipment, but with the added advantage of remote detection. By design the RMLD-IS is capable of achieving significant productivity gains and drastically reduce operations and maintenance costs.