Service: Automation Flow Computers

Flow Computers (tertiary devices)

• Assistance with programming, integration, commissioning, startup, documentation, troubleshooting, and training related to flow computers used for gas measurement as well as metering facility monitoring and control.

• Many companies utilize a flow computer to do the fiscal gas measurement calculations on-site. This data, as well as the hourly and daily averages, are then put into a time stamped historical record for retrieval by the gas measurement system. Static testing and verification of the on-site American Gas Association (AGA) compliant calculations are needed, using data sets that encompass the full range of operational conditions for the site. This ensures the flow computer is coming up with the correct volumes as dictated by the manufacturer and API 21.1.

• Some companies bring the averages of the pressures and temperatures into a centralized location where the actual fiscal calculations are done using average gas quality values which are also brought in. This is called off-site processing. It’s extremely important that the averaging is being done correctly so that the off-site calculations are correct. Dynamic testing at a traceable flow lab is required to ensure the averaging is being done correctly and the historical record has the correct values in it for doing accurate off-site calculations.

• The American Petroleum Institute (API) is in the process of drafting a new standard for the testing and certification of flow computers used for fiscal gas measurement.

Services Offered:

Measurement
• Lost and Accounted For
• Instrumentation
• Gas Meters
• Meter Stations
• Integration

Automation and Control
• Control Strategies
• Flow Computers
• Communication

Additional Services
• White Papers