Measurement best practice: ‘To the standards and beyond!’
Marcel Vermeulen A and Adam Pring B *A Sensia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
B Sensia, Perth, WA, Australia.
The APPEA Journal 62 S87-S90 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ21029
Accepted: 31 March 2022 Published: 13 May 2022
© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of APPEA.
Abstract
Ultrasonic flow measurement technology has been used in practical applications for more than 50 years, and for over 30 years in custody transfer oil and gas applications. To acquire optimal results, local regulatory, buyer–seller contracts and international standards are applied. One aspect, recalibration, is often specific to the local regulations within the country of use. In this paper, we will discuss the past, present and future of ultrasonic flowmeter diagnostics. Starting at the beginning, we will discuss the first patent on ultrasonic flow measurement in 1928, to the present condition-based monitoring (CBM) software tools automating data evaluation and providing users with audit trails. The purpose of the modern ultrasonic meter is both to provide high-accuracy flow measurement, and to monitor the health of the meter. Modern diagnostic features help identify any potential cause(s) of measurement deviations.
Keywords: acoustic velocity metres, condition-based monitoring, diagnostics, gas flow meters, history, hydrocarbon, intelligent alarming, log-files, oil and gas, qualitative, quantitative, self-verifying, signal to noise ratio, time-of-flight, ultrasonic meters, uncertainty.
Marcel Vermeulen is the Product Champion Transmission & Storage Flow at Sensia. Marcel has a Teachers degree Mathematics and Physics and a Master of Science Physics, from the Technical University of Eindhoven, The Netherlands. He has 5 years’ experience as sales specialist on process equipment, on-line near-infra-red process meters, wastewater and stack gas analysis, and 22 years’ experience in gas and liquid ultrasonic flow meters as an engineer, developer, production manager, engineering manager, application manager and director. Marcel previously worked for Elster Instromet, KROHNE and in October 2019 joined Sensia (a joint venture of Rockwell Automation and Schlumberger). Marcel is an active member on standardisation committees like AGA, ISO and PRCI. He has presented papers at the NSFMW, CEESI Workshops, AGA conferences and ASGMT. |
Adam Pring is the Regional Sales Manager, South Pacific Region, Sensia. Adam has a Masters Degree in Business Administration (Curtin University of Technology), a Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) from University of Western Australia, and a Graduate Diploma in Engineering (Petroleum) from Curtin University of Technology. He has over 10 years’ field-based experience in upstream and downstream oil and gas production, processing and refining operations and over 15 years’ experience in business development and commercial roles in the resources sectors. |
References
Pickett EB (1968) Acoustic flowmeter prototype evaluation tests, technical report NO.2-810. U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, MS.Rutten O (1928) Reichspatentamt, Patentschrift Nr 520484.
Sensia (2022) Ultrasonic flow meter – oil & gas. Available at https://www.sensiaglobal.com/measurement/ultrasonic-flow-meter-oil-gas
United States of America National Bureau of Standards (1953) A new method for measuring fluid flow. Technical News Bulletin, 37, 2. Available at https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=vEJIAQAAIAAJ&pg=GBS.PA30&printsec=frontcover
