Southwest Research Institute may be called upon to provide a wide range of technical support for natural gas measurement operations. For more than 25 years, SwRI has been active in the support of gas flow measurement standards that the industry uses for daily commercial transactions. Natural gas measurement field services offered by SwRI are as an independent impartial third party. Since each meter station is the point of commercial transaction between two parties, metering problem resolution demands impartiality.
We apply expertise from Flow Measurement Services and Flow Measurement Research Programs to on-site services. A partial list of field services that can be provided are described below.
Metering Station Field Audits
SwRI can conduct an on-site audit of your metering facility practices and determine the facility’s compliance with industry best practice and measurement standards natural gas measurement standards, including:
- AGA Report 3 – Orifice Flow Meter Calibration (API 14.3 and ASME PTC 19.5)
- AGA Report 7 – Turbine Meter Calibration
- AGA Report 9 – Ultrasonic Meter Calibration
- AGA Report 11 – Coriolis Flow Meter Calibration
Often bias error producing conditions are discovered and recommendations are provided for resolution of the conditions. Whether the identified condition is a complex flow measurement calculation error, gas quality concern, or improper operating practice, SwRI can document the findings in a report and recommend solutions for the findings.
Central Office Measurement Systems
SwRI may be called upon to provide computation validation of the central office measurement system calculations. Or SwRI may be asked to examine data flow, and the measurement department’s methods and procedures for handling data errors and making flow measurement corrections to ensure correct gas measurement accounting.
Metering Station Design Review
SwRI staff can provide an experienced critical review and advice on gas meter station designs. Natural gas metering station design can be evaluated for compliance with industry-standard practice and common design mistakes that produce costly field installation metering bias errors and recommended improvements can be provided.
Lost and Unaccounted for Natural Gas Reduction
SwRI can provide your operation with a thorough review of operating practices and procedures that can contribute to system lost and unaccounted for imbalances. System balance reporting can be reviewed to determine opportunities for imbalance, as well as the integrity of the system balance model. SwRI can also review operating procedures, practices, and equipment maintenance schedules and provide suggestions for improvements in system balance by eliminating bias error opportunities. Where appropriate, we can utilize our expertise in field applications for Methane Leak Detection and Fugitive Emission Test & Cryogenic Testing to further reduce the lost and unaccounted for natural gas.
Technical Support of Root Cause Investigations
SwRI may be called on to provide technical expertise in support of root cause evaluations of metering or regulator station abnormal operating condition determinations. SwRI has a wide range of resources, including Chemical Analysis Services and material Failure Analysis experts that may be called upon to support your company’s root cause analysis team efforts. In some cases, special testing in SwRI laboratories may be arranged to simulate the abnormal operating condition.