Advanced Application of Liquid Flow Computers

Class # 3010.1

Bobby Wollard
Technical Operations Manager
Dynamic Flow Computers Inc.
11104 West Airport Blvd #148
Stafford, Texas USA

Introduction
Within the Oil/Gas industry Flow Computers have been used since the mid to late 1980s to perform real-time,
accurate, and reliable flow measurement processing. However, since the late 90s their functions have become
ever more complex and required functionalities increase steadily year after year. We are in an age of technological
development and we see automation continually grow around us in every aspect of our lives. Like clockwork every
year we see new phones/tablets, and gizmos that make often mundane tasks simpler and more efficient. Oil/Gas
measurement is no exception to this as it pertains to Liquids flow computing. Because of the complexity of many of
these devices we tend to view them as black boxes or voodoo machines simply spitting out contrived numbers
based upon simple inputs. In most cases this could not be further from the truth, simplicity is and always should be
at the heart of any flow computer development.
Other aspects at play within flow computers are special functions possibly due to application requirement, unique
metering concepts, environmental concerns, etc.
When thinking about flow computers its important to not forget their primary function to calculate flowrate, store
historical volumes, provide auditing capabilities, and allow diagnostic tools to the operator. Everything beyond this
is feature. As one considers the many different variations, brands, manufacturers etc., understand that they all
accomplish the same goal to accurately calculate flowing volumes and make data available to the user.
Types of Flow Computers
Liquid flow computers come in several different types and there are inherent benefits to each style computer on the
basis of the application it is serving.
- Explosion Proof
- Panel Mount
- DIN Rail or Rack Mount
- Virtual
Explosion proof computers provide flow computing in environments that may be hazardous or where explosive and
flammable products exist. These can be applied in virtually all measurement scenarios but may have limited I/O
due to size restriction of explosion proof enclosures, but benefit in low cost of deployment due being a self-contained
package and often times incorporate multivariable transmitters or pressure and temperature transmitters. Figure 1.

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Panel Mount computers generally mount on a wall/box, or in a large enclosure for service outside. These style
computers are often considerably more expensive to deploy and larger in form factor and do not include integrated
pressure or temperature transmitters, but generally incorporate a large selection of I/O points. This is in most cases
because they will be in multiple meter type applications where the large amount of I/O is required for the application.
In most cases these will incorporate some form of a keyboard or touch sensitive display for unit configuration locally.
Figure 2.

DIN rail or Rack Mount computers in many ways are similar to panel mount style computers and are often within
the industry referred to as brick computers. The flow computer will be installed in similar fashion to a panel however
its attachment method with the enclosure is mounting via a DIN rail attachment. They will share similar design to
PLCs and other DIN rail mount devices and can be mistaken for other devices at times. DIN rail computers may
also possess keyboards and displays but many times are stuffed inside an enclosure where the display and
keyboard is not necessary for day to day operations. Figure 3.

Virtual style flow computers are still a relatively new concept within the industry but over the past several years
have garnered some credibility in certain applications. Virtual flow computing relies on remote access to the
individual meters or transmitters in the field where the raw data is fed into an offsite server where flow calculations
are performed. These are most often web based style of interactions to the end user and can provide real-time
viewing of flow meter performance from across the internet from anywhere in the world. This style of computing
itself comes with certain disadvantages in the form that no hardware component is local to the measurement point
other than the primary elements and transmitters. This also requires communications be readily available to the

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devices in these locations. Other permutations of this style of virtual flow computing relies on field level explosion
proof flow computers where the online interaction is used for error checking, data validation, and can monitor overall
field operations as a whole. These types are typically provided as a service meaning there is a monthly fee
associated. Figure 4.
Custody vs. Non-custody
All too often we hear this term custody transfer or fiscal calculations and it is important we understand what these
are and what they mean to determine the applicability of the device type we choose to use.
Custody transfer is by definition an exchange of a commodity for monetary concern. This is done 100%
contractually. What is meant by this is if two parties deem they like to trade commodity via simply looking in a tank,
assessing the level, and determining the volume they can do so as long as they agree. This is obviously a very
relaxed approach but the point is made. Generally speaking, the concerned parties will agree on a method of
calculating volumes, a process for how they handle the product, and any other pertinent details to the transaction,
could be requirements of treating the gas or liquid for undesirables prior to reaching the delivery point etc. Custody
takes place in many different environments: at the well-head, at the separator, at the delivery point, at the refinery
and so on. These custody transfer flow computers must meet rigorous requirements for accuracy and contain
certain functions and features required for demonstrating these accuracies.
In contrast to this we have Non-custody applications which can also be referred to as allocation or process type
metering. These non-custody calculations require diminished accuracy requirements and can be very rudimentary
in practice. Non-custody style metering often takes place internally within an organization where there would be no
one to bill but for themselves, they however wish to know where the product is allocated to within the operations.
This can also be applied within refineries and chemical plants where the product has not yet left the secured zone
of the facility. This can be taking a raw product like crude oil passing it along to a different unit within the plant and
making a separate product like a gasoline or diesel. It is not until the product is sold that it then becomes custody
transfer again.
Flow Computer Industry Standards
One may ask How do I know whether I supplying custody transfer quality measurement or not? This is where
industry standards come into play. Its important to understand why Standards are used and what exactly they
mean. To the world of measurement particular attention is paid to a number of different organizations that set out
with a sole focus to create a guide of best practices that if adhered to will produce equivalent measurement no
matter where or under what conditions the measurement occurs.
Examples of some of the standards organizations are:
- American Petroleum Institute (API)
- American Gas Association (AGA)
- Gas Processors Association (GPA)
- International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
- American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
Of these organizations, the one most directly representative of measurement would be API, specifically the Manual
of Petroleum Measurement Standards (MPMS). Within the MPMS ch21 directly deals with Electronic flow
measurement. For liquids, in particular we focus on Chapter 21.2 Electronic Liquid Measurement.
Ch21.2 provides us with recommendations for:
- Electronic Flow Calculation
- Proper rounding techniques
- Sampling period for variables
- Historical Data retention
- Auditing and configuration change tracking
- Example Transaction report formats
- Device Security concerns
Without these recommendations, no two electronic flow calculations would arrive at the same numbers leading
to consistently inconsistent historical flow volumes. This is absolutely essential to repeatable flow calculation
data.

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Liquid Flow Computer Applications
Liquids measurement can be found at all levels of the industry. Everything from drilling and fracking operations to
chemicals manufacture and refining.
Some typical advanced liquid flow computer applications can be:
- Net Oil computing
- Pipeline metering
- LACT metering
- Multiphase metering
- Chemicals computing
- Liquid meter proving
- Load rack metering
- Rail car loading
These applications all differ in ways that make them in most fashions nothing like typical liquid daily or monthly
reporting. In the majority of these examples the measurement requires batching procedures to store the historical
volumes. Batching is the term given to starting and stopping a product calculation cycle without the basis of a time
interval driving the length of the calculation (i.e. Hourly, Daily, Monthly as would be typical in the gas measurement
world.)
LACT metering is unique example of advanced Liquids measurement in the aspect that the flow computer takes on
in many cases an elevated level control to monitor BS&W, control water divert valves, requirements for operator
interface, large number of batch storages. The even more advanced LACT flow computers also perform diagnostic
features on the primary flow meters while flowing to assure highest level of accuracy. Some high volume LACT
sites may see as many as 40-50 crude oil deliveries per day. This requires much greater numbers of available
report storages due to the reality that the operator may or may not be able to retrieve the data when communications
go down and extended periods of time pass prior to retrieval.
Other examples of highly advanced liquids flow computing would be in Liquids Meter Proving. These flow computers
are highly specialized to complete very specific control of meter provers. These provers can be master meters, ball
provers, and small volume provers just to name a few. In the case of ball prover, the proving computer must be able
stage and operate the 4-way valve, monitor detector switches, and count pulses of the proved meter using a
technique called Double Chronometry. This is a highly-specialized function that few computers accel at due simply
to the complexity of the control while metering. Double Chronometry pulse detection utilizes high speed voltage
sensing devices to detect not only when pulses arrive but can detect the exact instant the pulses come relation to
the detector switch closing with Ball or Piston movement. This method, referred to as Pulse interpolation detects
rising edge and falling edge of the pulse at start and stop to attain the utmost in accuracy of the proving function.
The true reason why this high-speed pulse detection is essential is due to the fact that the prover barrel does not
have infinite volume and thus makes the proving sample period short. Without this method in place proving accuracy
would greatly suffer.
Flow Meter interface
The methods of detecting flow signals vary greatly depending on the meter technology being implemented.
Some examples:
- Differential meters produce a pressure loss signal that must be digitized in some form for the computer to
utilize effectively. This is most commonly done by means of 4-20 mA transmitters. 4-20 mA flow computing
requires scaling to be established on both the receiver and sender ends to effectively encode and decode
a value from the electrical signal. This can also be in the form of 1-5 Vdc in case of low power operations.
- More advanced electronic flow meters may produce a computer calculated pulse signature which can have
varying wave shape and form. Each manufacturer has a somewhat unique methodology to this. This wave
form is typically a square wave style which functionally looks like a high speed on/off voltage signature.
- In contrast to electronic flow meters a turbine meter produces pulses which are sinusoidal in shape. No
sharp edges exist in the wave form when analyzed with a scope meter.

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Secondary Device Interface
Secondary devices to the flow computer operations come into play most often inside of processing facilities,
however as flow meter continually evolve we find more of the functions showing up field level on wellhead
production, separator measurements, or delivery/loading points.
These secondary devices in the liquids realm a most typically densitometers, viscometers, and various analyzers.
If we take the typical densitometer for an example, we see that there are a various number of ways we can transmit
the calculated density to the flow computer. This can be: 4-20mA, Slave device communications, pulse, or time
period signal. All are somewhat equally effective so this typically comes down to the particular device and the
available i/o. The most accurate of these would be either the communication method or time period signal style.
Time period probably being the most common due to greater resilience and less potential for a lost communications
scenario.
Flow Computer Communications
The most common form of communications with flow computers still remains as serial communications, either Rs-
485 or Rs-232. Serial communications have remained a staple of many computer designs due to the robust nature
of the communications as well as the simplicity of troubleshooting communications issues. As technology increases
and more end communications devices come to market we have begun to see a shift to more Ethernet related
communications methods.
Ethernet provides the user a great amount of flexibility in deployment however can greatly add to complexity of
troubleshooting potential wiring or networking issues. This is usually left to IT or Scada group resources not typical
to field level techs. This can slow issue detection and resolution but in many cases the benefits outweigh the
negatives as system outages are not a common problem.
Cellular service has grown exponentially in the United States within the last 10 years and in many applications, this
could be your most readily acceptable method. In areas offshore, or in the most remote locations Satellite
communications may be the only useable method. Of the two methods, cellular would probably be more desirable
over satellite due to cost and potential outages of network connectivity.
Communications protocols have not developed much since the early 2000s. This is possibly due to unification
within the industry, something that did not exist in the early days leading to many different style of serial
communications causing headaches for developers and systems providers. The most common of these still to this
day is Modbus industrial serial communications. However, protocols such as Hart, Foundation Fieldbus, and most
recently CANbus have begun to greatly gain traction as preferred methods in multi-drop type scenarios where
multiple devices may need to communicate with similar field level devices.
Security
The flow computer is the revenue generation tool for Oil companies and must be appropriately protected.
Security has become of vital importance to Oil operations globally. With piracy, terrorism, and cyber espionage on
the rise worldwide it is important the flow computer incorporate security methods for controlling entry into the device
thus deterring would be hackers from causing revenue loss condition as a result of lost volume.
This security is most often grouped by access level in the device and consists of:
- Master or Admin
- Configuration or Tech
- Reports retrieval
- Calibration or Proving
- Operating system changes (software downloads)
There can be as many or as few security levels as the operator deems necessary, however these would be the
most common types of device level security controls.
There may also need to be controls for interfacing the device if it incorporates other methods like push, infrared, or
magnetic interface buttons. This security method is most often a simpler form such as a wire lock method or a
lockable hasp.

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Conclusion
Flow computers have undergone many changes since the 1980s when electronic flow computing was on the
forefront of development. Though we have grown exponentially in this time we still have much more to grow.
Processors continually get faster, memory continually gets larger, and as system complexities continue to increase
you can expect that so should the computation processes. The trend in the world is for larger data banks. Weve
come from hourly and daily data processing intervals to now sub second data processing intervals. Meaning, we
can expect that available data storage in flow computers to be continually growing. Also as processors become
increasingly efficient we can expect to see more wireless technologies taking the place of wired systems and battery
powered devices to become more mainstay type of units. Devices will become lighter and smaller in form factor
allowing for miniaturization of what can now be very large bulky devices. Only the future knows what is to come.

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