Krohne Flowmeters | Monitoring Energy Consumption At An Oil & Gas Field

Published 16 Jun 2020

Process Measurement Instruments – Flow, Temperature, Level & Pressure Measurement

KROHNE Flow Meters

Process Instrumentation for Industrial, Hazardous Area & Explosive Atmopheres

Ultrasonic Flow Measurement

KROHNE flowmeters and measurement instruments provide accurate and reliable measurement of industrial liquids, gases and other media (including emulsions, corrosive liquids and gases) with a range of low/high flow rates.

KROHNE is a world-leading manufacturer and supplier of solutions in industrial and explosive atmosphere process instrumentation – with over 30 worldwide approvals for hazardous area gas and dust Zones including ATEX, IECEx, usFMc, NEPSI, INMETRO, KGS, GOST-R and PESO/CCOE. The range of flowmeters manufactured by KROHNE incorporates multiple explosion proof and protection concepts – including IS (Intrinsically Safe) and Ex d (Flameproof) for flow measurement and metering in the hazardous area industries.

Flowmeters by KROHNE | the world-leading manufacturer and supplier of solutions in industrial and hazardous area process instrumentation: flow meters, level meters, temperature meters and pressure measurement.

Background

A multinational oil and gas company explores and refines raw oil and natural gas in Northern Serbia. The oil and gas field stations have only recently been refurbished to meet the most complex production processes.

All facilities comprise of a wide range of energy consuming devices such as heavy fuel and gas boilers, steam heaters, glycol dehydrators and compressors. Most of the systems are fueled with natural gas from the gas fields.

Flow Measurement requirements

In order to control the energy efficiency of each of their gas field stations, the company decided to monitor the natural gas consumption of their systems as well as to detect technical losses due to soot formation in burners.

The customer was therefore searching for a cost-effective gas flow measuring technology to be mounted in more than 70 bypass lines. Given the volatile parameters of the medium, it was a requirement that temperature and pressure measurement (4…60 barg / 58…870 psig) be part of the solution. ATEX zones 2 Ex d ia approvals were also mandatory.

KROHNE Solution

The KROHNE representative, WIG DOO BEOGRAD, recommended using the Vortex flowmeter OPTISWIRL 4070 C, thereby prevailing over competitor solutions using turbine meters, rotary gas meters or multivariable transmitters.

The operator installed more than 70 Vortex flowmeters from KROHNE at the gas field stations. The instruments were mounted in bypass lines to allow easy dismantling without process interruption. The majority of these lines were meant to be part of a permament system of piping with different nominal sizes from DN 15 / ½” to DN 100 / 4″ (classes: 150 lb, 300 lb and 600 lb).

At these measuring sites flowmeters with sandwich process connections were used. Five other flowmeters were fitted at mobile metering systems that allow for temporary flow measurement at 14 varying measuring sites. These flowmeters were installed with flanges and all devices have ATEX zone 2 [Ex d ia] approvals.

The vortex flowmeter measures the operating volume flow of natural gas as well as calculates an accumulated standard volume flow of as low as 4 Sm³/h). As all devices also feature integrated temperature and pressure sensors, they can compensate for the unsteady parameters of the medium. Their readings are provided via 4…20 mA HART to a control room, from where they are telemetrically transferred to a SCADA system.

KROHNE Flowmeters

Customer benefits

The operator of the oil and gas fields now benefits from reliable energy monitoring that enables them to get an accurate overall measurement of their own consumption. The OPTISWIRL is a cost effective alternative to mechanical gas flow meters as it is maintenance-free and features integrated temperature and pressure compensation.

It therefore requires no additional instrumentation to compensate for the unsteady parameters of the medium. This also makes the flowmeter a suitable device to control the maintenance requirements of burners and to prevent technical losses. Every time the nozzles of the burners start sooting, the pressure raises which can be effectively detected by the OPTISWIRL. As a result, predictive maintenance can be carried out, preventing costly process interruptions.

Equipping more than 70 bypass lines with gas flow measuring devices
Vortex flow measurement of natural gas with integrated pressure and temperature compensation
Detecting technical losses due to soot formation in burners

KROHNE Flowmeters Used

OPTISWIRL 4200 Meter

Hazardous Area Process Instrumentation, Meters & Measurement – KROHNE OPTISWIRL 4200

The OPTISWIRL 4200 is a Vortex flowmeter with integrated temperature sensor. It is best suited for flow measurement of liquids, dry or humid gases and saturated or superheated steam in supply processes (auxiliary service) and distribution networks.

The device is also the optimum solution for advanced energy management systems (acc. to ISO 50001) as it can be supplied with integrated gross and net heat measurement for steam and condensate. For gas and steam measurements with varying process conditions the Vortex meter can also be equipped with an optional integrated pressure sensor.

Flange or space-saving sandwich (wafer) version (up to DN100 / 4″)
Compact all-in-one device for varying process conditions
Integrated gross and net heat calculation for steam and hot water
Optional shut-off valve to allow replacement of pressure sensor without process interruption
Advanced technology for signal filtering (AVFD Advanced Vortex Frequency Detection)
Optional integrated reduction of nominal size for a large measurement span
Approx. 45% less installation costs compared to Vortex meter with external T and P sensors plus calculator
Also available as dual Vortex meter with two independent sensors and converters in one device for redundant measurement and applications with high safety requirements
Also available as remote version with field housing for installation of converter 50 m / 164 ft away from the sensor
SIL2/3 certified acc. to IEC 61508 (for high, low or continuous mode of operation)
On-site verification of flowmeter with service tool OPTICHECK

Hazardous Area Electrical Distributors

Explosive Atmosphere Experts

Thorne & Derrick are Specialist Distributors of Hazardous Area Electrical, HVAC & Process Instrumentation Equipment with IECEx & ATEX Certifications to the onshore and offshore oil, gas, petrochemicals and process industries.

We supply major UK and international infrastructure projects and also MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Operations) requirements for both planned and unplanned plant shutdowns – we react with a rapid response to customer demand to ensure downtime is minimised and reliable Power, Light & Heat is restored or provided.

We distribute Innovative products to manage the planned replacement of legacy equipment conformant with international classifications including ATEX and IECEx.

ATEX Process Instrumentation