Papers

Wet gas measurement is becoming widely used in the modern oil and gas market place. The effect of entrained liquid in gas and its impact on measurement systems is being researched world-wide by various laboratories and JIP working groups. The impact can be very significant financially. Hydrocarbon Dew Point can also effect the financial operation of a gas transportation company if not managed effectively amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars per annum based on incorrect sampling and its subsequent analysis.

The subject is quite large and encompasses many different concepts, meter types, standards and opinions, with many new ideas brought to the forefront each year as more research is done. From upstream applications to midstream measurement issues caused by liquid drop out in the pipelines were gas gathering systems are used. The issue of liquid entrained gas is becoming a big issue! Small quantities of hydrocarbon liquid in a gas sample stream can have a large impact on the BTU value analysis and cause large losses or gains depending on which side of the financial fence you are.

This paper will describe the phenomenon of wet gas, liquid drop out and some of the various types of measurement concepts that are and may be used for these types of measurement, together with some recent thinking and concepts associated with wet gas measurement.

H2 O vapor is an undesirable component of natural gas. It takes up space in the pipeline and provides no fuel value. In higher concentrations it can condense into liquid water in the pipeline and cause corrosion, especially in the presence of carbon dioxide or H2 S. Liquid water can also cause damage to turbines. Because of this, most gas transfer tariffs include a limit on the acceptable concentration of H2O in the gas stream. This paper reviews the devices that can be used in the field to determine the amount of water vapor present in a natural gas stream.

The United States Department of Transportation (D.O.T.) is a department of the U.S. Federal Government which oversees all issues regarding transportation within the United States of America and U.S. Territories. Its influence around the world is great and widely respected, but its jurisdiction and power of enforcement is limited to the USA and its territories. As regards this paper, we will discuss the D.O.T. and its involvement surrounding sample cylinders for the hydrocarbon industry and the rules regarding the movement of these cylinders from point to point in the United States.

This paper discusses the problems encountered when sampling wet, high pressure and supercritical natural gas for “on-line” BTU analysis and provides solutions and comments on how they relate to the API and GPA industry standards for natural gas sampling. It also discusses the use of phase diagrams in the design and operation of a natural gas sampling system.

SCADA systems are combinations of field devices, communications infrastructure, computer hardware and software integrated into a system that provides for safe, reliable, and effective operation of remote facilities. Producers, gatherers, midstream operators and pipelines use SCADA system for operations. In addition, SCADA gathers data used by advanced applications such as measurement accounting. SCADA is key …

SCADA AND TELEMETRY IN NATURAL GAS OPERATIONS Read More »

This paper summarizes a SCADA implementer’s perspective regarding the intent of the Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) Control Room Management (CRM) rule. In addition, this paper provides a fresh approach to CRM, describing why companies should use the CRM process to go beyond compliance requirements and implement operating best practices that would significantly enhance …

PHMSA’S RULE IMPACT ON GAS MEASUREMENT (CONTROL ROOM MANAGEMENT) Read More »

Inspections and tests on regulators and relief valves is a Department of Transportation Compliance rule. The sections within the DOT manual stating the rule include 192.351 through 192.359, 192.751, 192.479, 192.481, 192.739, and 192.741. Keep in mind; these rules are the minimum required tests. Your Company or Regulatory Agency may be more stringent and require …

PERIODIC INSPECTION OF REGULATORS AND RELIEF VALVES Read More »

Transfer proving was initially developed to provide an easier and more accurate field meter proving method. Because of the capacity capabilities of transfer provers (2000 CFH to 80,000 CFH) transfer provers are utilized in meter shops where bell prover capacity is limited and allow for shop testing of the larger capacity meters. TRANSFER TESTING SYSTEM …

FIELD TESTING GAS METERS BY TRANSFER PROVING Read More »

In today’s charging world of technology there have been may changes in controls that now allow to truly compare a plug and seat regulator to a control valve for high-pressure natural gas installations such as: power plants, city gate stations, large industrial customers, compressor stations, and storage fields. The features, benefits, capabilities, and differences of …

COMPAIRING PLUG & SEAT REGULATORS & CONTROL VALVES Read More »