Papers

We have all heard of or seen the devastating effects of a direct lightning burst. Communication equipment destroyed. Transmitters and EFM devices vaporized into slag metal. Complete process and measurement systems down with extended recovery times. These effects are the most dramatic and the easiest to trace. However, these kinds of events are rare. The …

TRANSIENT LIGHTNING PROTECTION FOR ELECTRONIC MEASUREMENT DEVICES Read More »

The purpose of this paper is to explain the measurement of natural gas for custody transfer applications through the use of ultrasonic meters. Specifically, this paper explains the operation of ultrasonic meters, issues surrounding their performance in natural gas, calibration procedures, and proper installation considerations. Additionally, the electronics making the measurements generate calculated values relating …

BASICS OF ULTRASONIC FLOW METERS Read More »

The measurement of oil & gas production has progressed considerably since the days of paper charts and manual integration. Technology has moved increasingly to microprocessor based flow computers allowing for greater measurement accuracy, increased control functionality, and ready integration into a company’s enterprise computer networks.

This presentation addresses problems associated with moisture and corrosion caused by high relative humidity and airborne contaminants. By controlling moisture and corrosion long-term, many problems associated with sensitive field electronics can be avoided. INTRODUCTION The natural gas industry relies very heavily on sensitive electronic equipment utilized in the production, gathering, transportation, and distribution phases. There …

PROTECTION OF NATURAL GAS MEASUREMENT EQUIPMENT AGAINST MOISTURE AND CORROSION Read More »

The drill bit penetrates a rock formation thousands of feet below the surface of the earth, a steel casing is slid into the hole, and perforations are made to the casing that reach into the surrounding rock. At that point, an escape route is created for anything in the formation that can be released to …

PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT EFFECTS ON GAS MEASUREMENT Read More »

Some major problems and unique solutions will be addressed with gas measurement on offshore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. This presentation will show the major roll safety, transportation, and weather play in the technician’s ability to verify the accuracy of the gas measurement facility. Proper operation, design, and installation will ensure accurate measurement. SAFETY …

PROBLEMS UNIQUE TO OFFSHORE GAS MEASUREMENT Read More »

This paper explains the general working principle of gas turbine meters and the common causes for turbine metering errors. Field observations and laboratory test examples are presented in this paper to demonstrate these phenomena. The author also suggests methods to optimize the measurement performance of turbine meter installations. How Turbine Meters Work Turbine gas meters …

PRESSURE, TEMPERATURE, AND OTHER EFFECTS ON TURBINE METER GAS FLOW MEASUREMENT Read More »

Just when you thought you knew everything there was to know about Turbine meter measurement, wham, out comes a revised AGA 7 standard. Now those basic principles are all still valid but maybe those operating practices we have built into our operating procedures need a little review. Rather than proceed as generations have done before …

OVERVIEW OF AGA REPORT NO. 7 REVISION Read More »

This paper presents methods for determining the uncertainty of both differential and positive metering stations. It takes into account the type of meter, number of meters in parallel, type of secondary instruments, and the determination of physical properties. The paper then relates this information to potential influence on system balance Introduction Gas measurement uncertainty is …

OVERALL MEASUREMENT ACCURACY Read More »

Orifice plate meters are popular for being relatively simple, reliable and inexpensive. Their principles of operation are relatively easily understood. However, traditionally there has been no orifice meter self diagnostic capabilities. In 2008 & 2009 a generic Differential Pressure (DP) meter self diagnostic methodology [1,2] was proposed. In this paper these diagnostic principles are applied …

ORIFICE PLATE METER DIAGNOSTICS Read More »