Ultrasonic flowmeters use sound waves to determine the velocity of a fluid flowing in a pipe. At no flow conditions, the frequencies of an ultrasonic wave transmitted into a pipe and its reflections from the fluid are the same. Under flowing conditions, the frequency of the reflected wave is different due to the Doppler effect. When the fluid moves faster, the frequency shift increases linearly. The transmitter processes signals from the transmitted wave and its reflections to determine the flow rate. Continue reading “How Ultrasonic Flowmeters Work”
The Intricacy of Proper Instrumentation in Cleaning Produced Water
The cleaning of produced water during oil and gas production and exploration is a crucial, although costly endeavor. In the process of bringing oil and gas up to the surface from a well, several byproducts are also produced. Water is the largest of these byproducts by volume, with 882 billion gallons produced per day. This produced water contains a variety of other compounds and substances, including organic and inorganic compounds, grease, bacteria, and dissolved solids such as iron. Continue reading “The Intricacy of Proper Instrumentation in Cleaning Produced Water”
Adjustable Pressure Snubbers Used to Protect Instruments Against Pressure Surges in LACT Units
We recently met with a customer in Odessa, TX, who was having an abnormal amount of smart pressure transmitter failures in their LACT skids from one customer’s region.
Lease Automatic Custody Transfer (LACT) units are used for the unattended and automatic measurement of the quality and quantity of crude oil, typically from well head producers to purchaser, or from truck offloading into storage tanks. These sites are typically on production lease sites in remote areas. Continue reading “Adjustable Pressure Snubbers Used to Protect Instruments Against Pressure Surges in LACT Units”
Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil Extraction
In the past few years, oil production in the United States has skyrocketed. In fact, the U.S. is out-producing many OPEC countries and is currently on track to become one of the largest oil-producing countries in the world, alongside Russia and Saudi Arabia.[1] The top oil producing region in the U.S. is known as the Permian Basin, which includes parts of Texas and New Mexico. Other major oil-producing states include Colorado, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Alaska, and California.[2] Continue reading “Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil Extraction”
Advantages of V-Ball Valves
Introduction
Ball valves are designed to be used in a variety of applications and markets, but a V-port ball valve offers the added ability to be used as a control valve where necessary. The main differentiator is a contoured V-port in the ball, most commonly available with a 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, or 90° angle, which produces an equal percentage flow characteristic for better control. V-ball valves are known to offer a variety of advantages in flow control applications, especially when compared to larger and more expensive control valves. Continue reading “Advantages of V-Ball Valves”