For years, people involved in the oil and gas industry have been innovating and creating ways to get correct measurements. From extraction to supply of these uncooked materials, everyone in the business has invested quite so much of effort to obtain probably the most accurate measurements.
As a end result, scientists and engineers have been working onerous to find new strategies and strategies to make extra efficient metrology systems. Thanks to their onerous work, the creation of various circulate meters was potential and due to this, the oil and gasoline industry is still sturdy today.
These move meters are used by industry (especially fuel and oil) to calculate the mass circulate or quantity flow of fluids. Such applications outline the capacity and sort of flow meters. Gases, liquids and fluids are measured based mostly on mass circulate and quantity flow.
From corrosive subsea environments, offshore production platforms, onshore oil fields or refineries, we now have the flow experience to tackle these powerful jobs. Difficult oil and fuel flow metering challenges similar to high pressures, pulsating flows, corrosive media and harsh environments are our day by day business. We work with many of our upstream and downstream customers to develop custom flow solutions for their toughest challenges, dealing with essentially the most demanding chemicals in their most remote and hazardous areas. We work with you to enhance process efficiency, scale back costly manufacturing downtime, and set up real-time monitoring and control.
Table of Contents
Where and how are oil and gas formed?
Ultrasonic move meter
Coriolis flow meter
Electromagnetic flowmeter
Vortex flow meter
Turbine flow meter
Thermal move meter
Differential move meter
Positive displacement flow meter
Oil and fuel circulate meter selection
Where and the way are oil and gas formed?
Before discussing the different flow meters generally used in the oil and gasoline trade, you will want to first understand the process of how the business collects uncooked supplies.
Both of these uncooked materials exist in numerous geological sources. For the most part, pure fuel and oil fields exist on sedimentary rocks such as sandstone and limestone. The primary cause for that is that these supplies move simply by way of the rock, making them easier to build up. The capacity of the discovered reservoirs could be decided by their porosity, while the manufacturing capability is proportional to their permeability.
To start the flow, they drill inside these rocks, which will make the fluid simpler to extract. To provoke, improve or maintain flow, water is pumped into the rocks, which are usually situated underground. High stress water is pumped into these rocks, which is in a position to increase the circulate price and improve fluid extraction. A circulate meter known as an Apure electromagnetic move meter is used to accurately measure the amount of water pumped contained in the rock.
However, in some circumstances, drilling and pumping just isn’t enough to acquire this materials. Most of the oil or gas found in impermeable rocks can’t be formed within the typical method. These supplies are known as “unconventional hydrocarbons,” and so they embody shale oil, coalbed methane and shale gasoline. Because of the very low permeability of the rocks, accumulation must be stimulated to begin the flow and enable the extraction process. To do this, a way referred to as “hydraulic fracturing” is required.
In hydraulic fracturing, a mix of sand and water is pumped into the rock. Due to the excessive strain, small cracks (fractures) are created, which is in a position to allow the material to move freely inside the muse. Hydraulic fracturing is accomplished by causing these fractures to open to permit the material to maneuver, which is where the sand comes in; opening these fractures, leading to excessive permeability. To precisely measure the mixing of fracturing fluid and additives in the mixture, Apure’s electromagnetic flow meters are used.
Now that we now have defined an summary of how the oil and fuel trade gets these raw materials, the following step is to grasp how they are measured using different varieties of metering methods.
Ultrasonic flow meter
Ultrasonic move meters measure the speed of a fluid flowing by way of a pipe by utilizing sound waves. Once the speed of the fluid slowly will increase, a linear change in its frequency becomes apparent.
Ultrasonic move meters can be used to measure the circulate price of fluids inside and out of doors of a pipe; the inline design installs the meter inside the pipe, whereas the clamp-on model uses a transducer to measure velocity. However, clamp-on models are much less accurate than inline fashions. As a outcome, they are only used for spot checks to obtain instant measurement outcomes.
Ultrasonic flowmeters and other flowmeters designed for crude oil can be used to measure 20-inch pipes inline. In addition, the clamp-on design is suitable for a lot of various things and is durable. Not to say, it requires little or no maintenance.
Coriolis move meter
The expertise utilized in Coriolis circulate meters isn’t the newest in measuring pure substances within the oil and gasoline business. The first industrial patents for Coriolis move meters date back to the Nineteen Fifties. However, it was not till 1970 that the appliance of this technology on this subject started. Until now, nothing has modified, regardless of enhancements to the meters for more correct measurements.
One of the unique designs of the move meter was that it had a single thin-walled tube. It was very accurate; nevertheless, the practicality of the model was the first issue due to its vibration problem. To remedy this problem, the design was changed to a two-tube design as an alternative of 1.
Despite going via different designs, the primary principle of Coriolis flow meters never modified. As materials flows via them, inertia is created by way of the oscillating tube and the tube twists. The variety of twists is proportional to the mass flow price. This is then measured by the flowmeter transmitter and sensor to provide a linear flow signal.
There are a quantity of benefits to using a Coriolis move meter. One of them is that it is very correct. These move meters are more commonly used to measure various petroleum products corresponding to crude oil and pure gasoline. The main level of the circulate meter is that it primarily measures mass circulate rather than volume. It is finest fitted to measuring petroleum merchandise as a result of the primary concern in measuring these merchandise is warmth somewhat than volume.
Typically, this kind of flow meter is suitable for pipes with diameters of 1 to four inches. Today, nevertheless, bigger models are more available than ever before. The only drawback of the Coriolis flowmeter could additionally be that it is dearer than other forms of metering systems. This is value it as a outcome of it’s inexpensive to maintain than different circulate meters.
Electromagnetic flowmeter
Electromagnetic flow meter is predicated on Faraday’s legislation of electromagnetic induction precept of producing a flowmeter to measure conductive liquids, from its measurement precept can be seen in its limitations: can not measure steam and fuel, the measured medium have to be conductive, and the conductivity can’t be lower than 5μs/cm. Its benefit is that it can measure dirty, viscous and corrosive fluids, such as pulp, slurry, sewage, etc.. No pressure loss brought on by circulate detection, massive circulate vary, wide selection of caliber, for large diameter pipeline can be utilized insertion type electromagnetic flowmeter.
Electromagnetic flowmeter electrode and lining are in direct contact with the measured medium, so for the measured medium corrosive and working temperature to determine on the appropriate electrode and lining supplies.
Vortex flow meter
One of the most versatile circulate meters, the vortex circulate meter, can easily measure the move of gases, liquids, and steam.
In years past, vortex flowmeters lacked the required approvals to be used in industry. However, in 2007, the American Petroleum Institute permitted a draft normal for using this flowmeter. Since that point, several corporations within the business have been actively working with API to further develop the standard and its approval.
The standard is relevant to liquid, vapor and gasoline flows and was expanded for further use in 2010. Although there’s an uncertain future, the design is obvious for the presence of gases and liquids. In recent years, vortex flowmeters have had a restricted influence available on the market, however the preference for future firms is steadily growing. However, due to different competitors similar to ultrasonic, differential pressure and turbine flow meters, it has had little impression on the gasoline trade delivery market.
Turbine circulate meter
Turbine move meters use a mechanical rotor which is connected to a shaft inside a pipe. It is then used to measure the amount of the gas, fluid or steam passing by way of the pipe. As the substance passes via the pipe, the rotor rotates at its velocity, relying on the pace at which the substance is passing via the pipe. The rotational speed ensuing from the rotation of the rotor is decided by the use of a sensor or other mechanical technique.
Typically, magnetism is used to allow the sensor to take readings from the rotor, with the magnet located on the skin of the pipe. Through using a sign, the sensor and transmitter determine the amount of material flowing in the pipe.
Turbine circulate meters are very inexpensive in terms of pricing. In addition, they give more correct results when the substance being measured is a gasoline or some other materials that is free of particles at low move rates.
One disadvantage of using a turbine flowmeter is that it does not adapt properly to altering flow charges, because the mechanical components can wear heavily and need to be replaced instantly. In addition, turbine meters work greatest when measuring the mass of a fuel with unknown characteristics.
In addition to its makes use of, it’s commonly used as a billing meter to measure fuel or water in commercial, industrial and residential buildings. In this respect, however, it competes with volumetric flow meters. The latter is extra suitable for measuring pipes of 1.5 to 10 inches in size, whereas the turbine circulate meter is best suited for pipes of 10 inches or extra in dimension.
Thermal circulate meter
In its main sense, a thermal circulate meter measures the speed at which heat dissipates as it’s injected instantly right into a fuel stream. In most circumstances, thermal flow meters are used solely to measure gases.
The warmth dissipation is determined by the composition and temperature of the gas. When the composition or temperature is minimized or this stage of accuracy is within acceptable parameters, the thermal flowmeter is your greatest option.
Differential move meter
Like its distant relative, the ultrasonic move meter, it additionally measures the flow through the pipe. It differs from different flowmeters in that it makes use of Bernoulli’s equation. In addition, differential circulate meters use constriction to sluggish the move and pressure of material within the pipe.
As the flow pressure slowly increases, the magnitude of the pressure drop will increase proportionally. The knowledge from this event is transmitted over totally different sets of pressure readings. Using this information, it is possible to calculate the strain differential to measure the volumetric flow rate.
Differential move meters are often low-cost. And there are additionally completely different variations for different substances to make accurate measurements for each fluid. However, gases are a particular case as a outcome of in order to get correct readings for a selected fuel, differential circulate meters ought to be used in mixture with other sensors for various factors corresponding to temperature, stress, gas composition and fuel density.
Although it is a superb flowmeter in its own right, trade prefers different types of metering techniques. This is mainly as a result of its inaccuracy in relation to different components corresponding to temperature, stress, and so on. In addition, so as to acquire the most accurate fuel measurements, it needs to be utilized in combination with other sensors or a unique model of differential stress flowmeter altogether. Due to the above components, it is difficult to obtain correct readings. This is mainly the rationale why the oil and gasoline trade prefers other kinds of metering, especially when dealing with gases.
Positive displacement flow meter
There are several types of constructive displacement flow meters: oval gear, piston, rotary, diaphragm, chapter-actuated disc and screw.
Volumetric circulate meters can be used for a variety of issues involving business, industrial and residential applications. They are mostly used to measure gas move. However, turbine flowmeters compete with volumetric flowmeters on this regard. One of its advantages over turbine flowmeters is that it excels at handling a steady circulate in pipes 10 inches in diameter or smaller.
Both diaphragm and rotary volumetric flowmeters are sometimes used to measure fuel flow. The latter is most popular over opponents similar to Coriolis flowmeters, primarily as a result of volumetric flowmeters don’t have the trade approvals required for field functions.
Oil and fuel move meter selection
The major elements to assume about in choosing an appropriate flowmeter embody: fluid characteristics, flowmeter traits necessities, installation situations, environmental circumstances, and value.
In addition, the selection of circulate meters can’t totally pursue high performance and high precision, which not solely increases the purchase price, but also increases the price of spare components. It can be necessary to contemplate the calibration and upkeep of flow meters.
Accurate measurement and regulation of fluid flow is the basis for guaranteeing the protection of petrochemical manufacturing process, enhancing product quality and decreasing vitality consumption. Due to the complexity and variety of move measurement media, there is no universal type of flowmeter, no flowmeter can be applied to any totally different circumstances of all types of media. Each sort of flowmeter has its advantages and limitations of measurement, different ideas, completely different constructions, completely different capabilities of the flowmeter of their respective relevant scope play a task. Therefore, the selection of flowmeter needs to comply with the standard specs and selection rules at the identical time comprehensive consideration of assorted elements affecting move measurement.
Extended studying:
Solvent flow meter
Sewage flowmeter
Ultrasonic circulate meter working precept
Liquid move meter
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For years, individuals involved in the oil and fuel trade have been innovating and creating ways to get correct measurements. From extraction to supply of those uncooked supplies, everyone within the enterprise has invested quite so much of effort to acquire probably the most accurate measurements.
As a outcome, scientists and engineers have been working exhausting to search out new methods and techniques to make more efficient metrology methods. Thanks to their onerous work, the creation of different flow meters was possible and because of this, the oil and gas industry continues to be strong today.
These circulate meters are utilized by industry (especially gas and oil) to calculate the mass circulate or volume circulate of fluids. Such functions define the capacity and kind of flow meters. Gases, liquids and fluids are measured based mostly on mass circulate and volume flow.
From corrosive subsea environments, offshore manufacturing platforms, onshore oil fields or refineries, we’ve the circulate experience to sort out these tough jobs. Difficult oil and gas flow metering challenges such as high pressures, pulsating flows, corrosive media and harsh environments are our day by day business. We work with a lot of our upstream and downstream prospects to develop custom flow solutions for his or her hardest challenges, dealing with essentially the most demanding chemicals in their most remote and unsafe areas. We work with you to improve course of efficiency, cut back pricey manufacturing downtime, and establish real-time monitoring and control.
Table of Contents
Where and how are oil and gasoline formed?
Ultrasonic move meter
Coriolis circulate meter
Electromagnetic flowmeter
Vortex circulate meter
Turbine move meter
Thermal circulate meter
Differential move meter
Positive displacement flow meter
Oil and gasoline flow meter selection
Where and how are oil and gasoline formed?
Before discussing the totally different circulate meters generally used within the oil and gasoline trade, you will need to first understand the method of how the business collects raw materials.
Both of those raw supplies exist in different geological sources. For the most part, natural gas and oil fields exist on sedimentary rocks such as sandstone and limestone. The primary cause for that is that these materials transfer easily through the rock, making them easier to build up. The capability of the found reservoirs can be determined by their porosity, while the production capacity is proportional to their permeability.
To begin the circulate, they drill inside these rocks, which will make the fluid easier to extract. To provoke, improve or sustain circulate, water is pumped into the rocks, which are often positioned underground. High pressure water is pumped into these rocks, which is ready to increase the move fee and increase fluid extraction. A circulate meter referred to as an Apure electromagnetic circulate meter is used to accurately measure the amount of water pumped contained in the rock.
However, in some cases, drilling and pumping just isn’t enough to acquire this materials. Most of the oil or fuel present in impermeable rocks can’t be shaped in the typical means. These supplies are referred to as “unconventional hydrocarbons,” and so they embrace shale oil, coalbed methane and shale fuel. Because of the very low permeability of the rocks, accumulation should be stimulated to begin the flow and allow the extraction course of. To do that, a way referred to as “hydraulic fracturing” is required.
In hydraulic fracturing, a mix of sand and water is pumped into the rock. Due to the high strain, small cracks (fractures) are created, which can enable the fabric to maneuver freely inside the foundation. Hydraulic fracturing is achieved by inflicting these fractures to open to permit the material to move, which is where the sand is obtainable in; opening these fractures, resulting in excessive permeability. To accurately measure the blending of fracturing fluid and additives within the combination, Apure’s electromagnetic move meters are used.
Now that we have explained an outline of how the oil and gas industry will get these raw materials, the following step is to grasp how they are measured utilizing different sorts of metering methods.
Ultrasonic circulate meter
Ultrasonic move meters measure the velocity of a fluid flowing by way of a pipe by using sound waves. Once the speed of the fluid slowly increases, a linear change in its frequency turns into apparent.
Ultrasonic circulate meters can be utilized to measure the circulate rate of fluids inside and outside of a pipe; the inline design installs the meter contained in the pipe, while the clamp-on mannequin makes use of a transducer to measure velocity. However, clamp-on models are much less accurate than inline fashions. As a result, they are only used for spot checks to obtain quick measurement outcomes.
Ultrasonic flowmeters and different flowmeters designed for crude oil can be utilized to measure 20-inch pipes inline. In addition, the clamp-on design is suitable for a lot of different things and is sturdy. Not to say, it requires very little maintenance.
Coriolis move meter
The expertise utilized in Coriolis circulate meters is not the most recent in measuring natural substances within the oil and gasoline business. The first industrial patents for Coriolis circulate meters date back to the Fifties. However, it was not till 1970 that the application of this expertise in this subject began. Until now, nothing has changed, regardless of improvements to the meters for more accurate measurements.
One of the original designs of the flow meter was that it had a single thin-walled tube. It was very accurate; nonetheless, the practicality of the mannequin was the primary problem because of its vibration problem. To solve this problem, the design was changed to a two-tube design as a substitute of 1.
Despite going by way of completely different designs, the main precept of Coriolis flow meters by no means changed. As materials flows by way of them, inertia is created by way of the oscillating tube and the tube twists. The variety of twists is proportional to the mass move price. This is then measured by the flowmeter transmitter and sensor to provide a linear flow signal.
There are a quantity of advantages to using a Coriolis move meter. One of them is that it is extremely correct. These move meters are more commonly used to measure varied petroleum products similar to crude oil and natural fuel. The primary point of the move meter is that it primarily measures mass move quite than quantity. It is greatest suited for measuring petroleum products because the principle concern in measuring these products is warmth somewhat than volume.
Typically, this type of circulate meter is appropriate for pipes with diameters of 1 to four inches. Today, nonetheless, bigger models are extra readily available than ever earlier than. The only downside of the Coriolis flowmeter could also be that it’s dearer than different kinds of metering methods. This is worth it because it is less expensive to maintain than different move meters.
Electromagnetic flowmeter
Electromagnetic circulate meter relies on Faraday’s regulation of electromagnetic induction precept of producing a flowmeter to measure conductive liquids, from its measurement principle can be seen in its limitations: can’t measure steam and fuel, the measured medium have to be conductive, and the conductivity can not be less than 5μs/cm. Its benefit is that it could measure soiled, viscous and corrosive fluids, such as pulp, slurry, sewage, and so on.. No stress loss caused by flow detection, giant move range, wide selection of caliber, for giant diameter pipeline can be used insertion type electromagnetic flowmeter.
Electromagnetic flowmeter electrode and lining are in direct contact with the measured medium, so for the measured medium corrosive and operating temperature to determine on the appropriate electrode and lining materials.
Vortex move meter
One of essentially the most versatile flow meters, the vortex flow meter, can easily measure the flow of gases, liquids, and steam.
In years past, vortex flowmeters lacked the necessary approvals for use in trade. However, in 2007, the American Petroleum Institute permitted a draft standard for the use of this flowmeter. Since that point, a number of corporations in the industry have been actively working with API to additional develop the usual and its approval.
The commonplace is applicable to liquid, vapor and fuel flows and was expanded for additional use in 2010. Although there is an unsure future, the design is evident for the presence of gases and liquids. In latest years, vortex flowmeters have had a limited impression available on the market, but the preference for future companies is steadily growing. However, as a end result of other rivals such as ultrasonic, differential strain and turbine circulate meters, it has had little influence on the fuel trade supply market.
Turbine move meter
Turbine circulate meters use a mechanical rotor which is connected to a shaft inside a pipe. It is then used to measure the amount of the gas, fluid or steam passing through the pipe. As the substance passes by way of the pipe, the rotor rotates at its speed, relying on the velocity at which the substance is passing by way of the pipe. The rotational pace resulting from the rotation of the rotor is set by means of a sensor or other mechanical technique.
Typically, magnetism is used to allow the sensor to take readings from the rotor, with the magnet located on the outside of the pipe. Through using a signal, the sensor and transmitter determine the volume of material flowing within the pipe.
Turbine circulate meters are very cheap when it comes to pricing. In addition, they offer extra accurate results when the substance being measured is a gasoline or some other material that is freed from particles at low flow charges.
One disadvantage of using a turbine flowmeter is that it doesn’t adapt properly to altering move rates, because the mechanical parts can put on heavily and have to be changed immediately. In addition, turbine meters work best when measuring the mass of a fuel with unknown characteristics.
In addition to its makes use of, it’s commonly used as a billing meter to measure gas or water in industrial, industrial and residential buildings. In this respect, nevertheless, it competes with volumetric circulate meters. The latter is extra suitable for measuring pipes of 1.5 to 10 inches in measurement, while the turbine flow meter is greatest fitted to pipes of 10 inches or extra in measurement.
Thermal move meter
In its main sense, a thermal flow meter measures the rate at which warmth dissipates as it’s injected immediately right into a gas stream. In most cases, thermal circulate meters are used completely to measure gases.
The heat dissipation is determined by the composition and temperature of the fuel. When the composition or temperature is minimized or this stage of accuracy is within acceptable parameters, the thermal flowmeter is your greatest option.
Differential flow meter
Like its distant relative, the ultrasonic flow meter, it additionally measures the move through the pipe. It differs from other flowmeters in that it makes use of Bernoulli’s equation. In addition, differential move meters use constriction to slow the circulate and strain of material within the pipe.
As the flow strain slowly will increase, the magnitude of the stress drop will increase proportionally. The information from this event is transmitted over totally different sets of strain readings. Using เพรสเชอร์เกจ , it’s attainable to calculate the pressure differential to measure the volumetric flow price.
Differential move meters are usually low-cost. And there are additionally different versions for different substances to make correct measurements for each fluid. However, gases are a particular case as a end result of so as to get accurate readings for a particular gasoline, differential move meters should be used in mixture with different sensors for various elements corresponding to temperature, stress, gas composition and fuel density.
Although it is a superb flowmeter in its personal proper, industry prefers different types of metering techniques. This is mainly because of its inaccuracy in phrases of different elements similar to temperature, stress, etc. In addition, to be able to get hold of the most correct gas measurements, it needs to be utilized in mixture with other sensors or a different model of differential stress flowmeter altogether. Due to the above elements, it’s difficult to obtain accurate readings. This is principally the reason why the oil and gas business prefers different forms of metering, particularly when coping with gases.
Positive displacement move meter
There are various sorts of positive displacement flow meters: oval gear, piston, rotary, diaphragm, chapter-actuated disc and screw.
Volumetric circulate meters can be used for quite so much of things involving business, industrial and residential applications. They are most commonly used to measure gas circulate. However, turbine flowmeters compete with volumetric flowmeters on this regard. One of its advantages over turbine flowmeters is that it excels at dealing with a gentle move in pipes 10 inches in diameter or smaller.
Both diaphragm and rotary volumetric flowmeters are typically used to measure fuel circulate. The latter is most well-liked over rivals such as Coriolis flowmeters, primarily because volumetric flowmeters don’t have the business approvals required for area purposes.
Oil and fuel move meter choice
The major factors to consider in selecting a suitable flowmeter include: fluid traits, flowmeter characteristics requirements, set up situations, environmental situations, and price.
In addition, the number of move meters cannot absolutely pursue high efficiency and excessive precision, which not solely will increase the purchase cost, but in addition increases the price of spare components. It is also necessary to contemplate the calibration and upkeep of circulate meters.
Accurate measurement and regulation of fluid flow is the idea for guaranteeing the safety of petrochemical manufacturing process, improving product high quality and decreasing energy consumption. Due to the complexity and diversity of flow measurement media, there isn’t any common sort of flowmeter, no flowmeter may be applied to any completely different conditions of all kinds of media. Each sort of flowmeter has its advantages and limitations of measurement, completely different principles, different structures, totally different capabilities of the flowmeter of their respective relevant scope play a task. Therefore, the selection of flowmeter needs to observe the usual specifications and selection principles at the identical time complete consideration of various factors affecting circulate measurement.
Extended reading:
Solvent circulate meter
Sewage flowmeter
Ultrasonic circulate meter working precept
Liquid flow meter