Litre Meter ships flowmeters to China for offshore platform installation
Litre Meter has shipped six LF05 VFF positive displacement flowmeters to China via a distributor for use in chemical injection applications on an offshore platform.
The Atex-certified rotary piston flowmeters are used to measure the flow of a number of chemicals including corrosion inhibitor, demulsifier and scale inhibitor. One meter was calibrated for very low flow at 0.00001-0.00015 m3/hour for fluids with a viscosity of 40 centipoise.
The VFF meters are fitted to skids on platforms in the Qinhuangdao oilfield located in Bohai Bay 130 km from the Chinese city of Tianjin.
Chemicals are injected at high pressure into pipelines via the skid installed on the well head platform. The chemicals are delivered to the skid through umbilicals from a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel located in the field.
Measurement of the chemical injection rate is critical because blockages caused by a build-up of scale or emulsified sludge can result in a shutdown and the risk of explosion or unintended release of hydrocarbons into the environment.
Blocked pipes may have to be uplifted to remove the blockage, causing costly loss of production. Litre Meter meters assist in maintaining flow assurance and reducing production costs by measuring the flow of chemicals needed to prevent hydrate and sludge formation. Chemicals are expensive which means that their use needs to be carefully monitored.
Accurate chemical injection monitoring is provided by the LF05 Litre Meter flowmeters both locally and remotely back to the FPSO control room.
The VFF LF05 flowmeter is suitable for measuring liquids at pressure ratings up to 1,035 bar (15,000 psi) and higher and flow rates from 0-30 l/hr. It covers a viscosity range from under 0.8 to above 2,000 centipoise (cP).
Constructed in 316 stainless steel with a PVD coated titanium rotor, the meter is of intrinsically safe design and manufactured to operate reliably at temperatures ranging from -40 to 150°C.
