After two months of testing with the Siemens/Controlotron FUG1010 meter, Transpetro is acquiring the first non-intrusive ultrasonic gas meter to be installed in a pipeline for the purpose of measuring natural gas to improve the operational system.
The purpose of the test was to demonstrate the accuracy and reliability of the gas meter for Transpetro. The company has the non-intrusive liquid meter installed in several locations, but it did not yet know about the gas meter, one of the most recent products from Siemens/Controlotron, launched in the late 90's. To be able to measure gas in a 100% non-intrusive, it was necessary a great advance in the electronic part of the meter, due to the sound signal having very low intensity. To get an idea of this difference, an audible signal in a liquid meter usually has an intensity greater than 50mV, whereas in a gas meter the intensity is only 1mV.
In this test, the meter was installed at the fiscal metering station, upstream of the fiscal gauge on a 20-inch line. A difference between measurements of the order of +/- 3.5% was expected, considering the fiscal meter error plus the clamp-on meter error. In a first stage, an average difference of 2.34% was obtained, considered within the expected, however, soon after, the meter was reinstalled a little further away from the fiscal meter, to obtain a better flow profile, and a difference of just 0.72%, which surpassed all of Transpetro's expectations.
With the test completed and the meter approved, Transpetro will have a great cost savings with the installation of the FUG1010 clamp-on meter instead of an intrusive meter of any kind, because, in addition to not having any change or intervention in the pipeline, such as pipe cuts, installation of flanges and valves, the meter can be installed with the pipeline in full operation without the need to interrupt the natural gas supply.