Production Chemistry Networking Event Custody Transfer and Allocation Metering Guidelines and Standards
Colin Lightbody Technology Manager 15th October 2019
SGC Metering Topics
• What is Custody Transfer and Allocation metering? • Who regulates this metering? • Who writes the standards used in the regulations? • Metering standards – crude oil metering system • Metering standards – natural gas metering system • Key points to take away
2 Custody Transfer and Allocation Metering Terminology • Custody Transfer Metering • Custody transfer occurs at any metering system where the ownership of the fluid is being transferred from one party to another • Measurement uncertainty for these systems is typically ±1% for gas systems and ± 0.25% for liquid • Fluid volume (or mass) and fluid composition information both essential for a fair and equitable transaction • Following the regulations and standards is a good way of achieving and maintaining these low uncertainties
3 Custody Transfer and Allocation Metering Terminology • Allocation • Several offshore operators all putting hydrocarbons into a shared pipeline to a single on-shore reception terminal • Terminal operator will have metering, sampling, and analysis at the terminal to measure the total amount and quality of fluid entering the terminal • Offshore operators will (or should!) have metering, sampling and analysis on each installation to determine their pipeline input • Metering, sampling and analysis that is used for helping figure out who gets what is known as allocation metering • Sometimes allocation metering gets quite complex…
Offshore Projects & Operations 4 UK North Sea Forties Pipeline
St. Fergus Terminals
Offshore Projects & Operations 5 Who Regulates Custody Transfer and Allocation Metering? The regulatory framework for North Sea Operators
• For custody transfer and allocation metering in the UK the Oil & Gas Authority (OGA) is responsible for licensing and regulation • The Guidance Notes for Petroleum Measurement is the “go-to” document • In Norway regulation is by the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) • Functional and technical requirements are defined in NORSOK I-106
6 What are the guidelines based on? The references used by the regulators…..
• Both the OGA and NPD reference standards from many international bodies • International Standards Organisation (ISO) • British Standards Institute (BSI) • Energy Institute (EI) • American Petroleum Institute (API) • American Gas Association (AGA) • Norwegian Society for Oil and Gas Flow Measurement (NFOGM) • The European Gas Research Group (GERG) • North Sea Flow Measurement Workshop Papers
7 One Metering System – Many Standards!
• Countless standards for a typical oil or gas metering system • Majority not measurement or analysis related, but essential • Skid • Pipe and valve selection • Welding quality • Cable trays • Lights • Junction boxes • Bolts…… • Control System and Panel • Barriers and isolation • Power supplies • Cabling…….
8 Oil Metering Skid – Metering Standards Primary Flow Element - Liquid Ultrasonic meter
Liquid Ultrasonic Meter Each standard references ISO 12242:2012 Measurement of fluid flow in closed other standards conduits — Ultrasonic transit-time meters for liquid
ISO 5168:2005, Measurement of fluid flow — Procedures for the evaluation of uncertainties ISO 11631:1998, Measurement of fluid flow — Methods of specifying flowmeter performance ISO/IEC 17025, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories ISO 80000-4:2006, Quantities and units — Part 4: Mechanics ISO/IEC Guide 98-3:2008, Uncertainty of measurement — Part 3: Guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement (GUM:1995) ISO/IEC Guide 99:2007, International vocabulary of metrology — Basic and general concepts and associated terms (VIM)
9 One Metering Skid – Many Metering Standards! Meter proving – turbine master meter
Turbine Master Metering Stream API MPMS, Chap. 4.5, Master meter provers API MPMS, Chap. 5.1, Metering – General considerations API MPMS, Chap. 5.3, Measurement of Liquid Hydrocarbons by Turbine Meters
ISO 7278-1:1987 Liquid hydrocarbons — Dynamic measurement — Proving systems for volumetric meters — Part 1: General principles
10 One Metering Skid – Many Metering Standards! Meter Proving – Piston Prover
Compact Prover API MPMS: Chapter 4.2 Displacement Provers Chapter 4.6 Pulse Interpolation Chapter 4.8 Operation of Proving Systems Chapter 12.2 Calculation of Petroleum Quantities Chapter 13 Statistical Aspects of Measuring and Sampling
ISO 7278-1:1987 Liquid hydrocarbons — Dynamic measurement — Proving systems for volumetric meters — Part 1: General principles
11 One Metering Skid – Many Metering Standards! Fluid mixing and sampling
ISO 3171:1988 Petroleum liquids — Automatic pipeline sampling
Powered Mixer and Automatic Sampling System API MPMS Chapter 8 Sampling Section 2-Standard Practice for Automatic Sampling of Liquid Petroleum and Petroleum Products
12 Another Metering Skid – Many More Metering Standards! Natural gas custody transfer metering skid – Orifice metering
Orifice Plate Metering Stream ISO 5167-1:2003 Measurement of fluid flow by means of pressure differential devices inserted in circular cross-section conduits running full — Part 1: General principles and requirements
ISO 5167-2:2003 Part 2: Orifice plates
13 Another Metering Skid – Many More Metering Standards! Natural gas custody transfer metering skid – gas sampling and analysis
ISO 10715:1997 Natural gas — Sampling guidelines
AGA Report No. 8, Part 1, Thermodynamic Properties of Gas Sampling and Analysis system Natural Gas and Related Gases, ISO 6976 Natural gas — Calculation of DETAIL and GROSS Equations of calorific values, density, relative density and State Wobbe indices from composition
14 Summary Key points to take away
• Custody transfer and allocation metering transactions are very high value • Mistakes in design and operation can generate significant financial exposures for operators and treasuries • It is a very heavily regulated segment of the oil and gas industry • Failure to adhere to the regulations is always painful for the operator • Kicked out of pipeline sharing agreement • Fines up to £1,000,000 (OGA) • Removal of production license.
Natural Gas Mis-measurement Financial Exposure Calcuation Gas Price 2.6 $/MMBTU Gas Energy Content 1200 BTU/SCF Daily Gas Export Volume 50 MMSCF Daily Gas Export Energy 60,000 MMBTU Daily Gas Export Value 156,000 US$ Actual Metering Uncertainty 2 ± % Required Metering Uncertainty 1 ± % Daily financial exposure @ current uncertainty 3,120 US$ Daily financial exposure @ target uncertainty 1,560 US$ Daily financial exposure due to mis-measurement 1,560 US$ 15 Additional annual exposure due to mis-measurement 569,400 US$
Natural Gas Mis-measurement Financial Exposure Calcuation Gas Price 2.6 $/MMBTU Gas Energy Content 1200 BTU/SCF Daily Gas Export Volume 1000 MMSCF Daily Gas Export Energy 1,200,000 MMBTU Daily Gas Export Value 3,120,000 US$ Actual Metering Uncertainty 5 ± % Required Metering Uncertainty 1 ± % Daily financial exposure @ current uncertainty 156,000 US$ Daily financial exposure @ target uncertainty 31,200 US$ Daily financial exposure due to mis-measurement 124,800 US$ Additional annual exposure due to mis-measurement 45,552,000 US$ What questions do you have for me?
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