Flow Computer Real-Time Validation for Hydrocarbon Custody Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydrocarbon custody transfer systems rely on periodic billing cycles, which can lead to errors in flow volume calculations if issues arise early in the cycle, as validations are only performed at the end of the billing period, potentially corrupting the entire cycle's data.
Innovation Solution
Configuring flow computers to perform real-time validations, including calculations of average values and standard deviations, and to correct errors, allowing for early identification of problems and reducing the need for repeated validations by SCADA systems, thereby enabling timely alarms and corrections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If validations are performed only at the end of the billing cycle, then device complexity is reduced, but data reliability deteriorates as errors can corrupt entire cycle data
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary validations at the beginning of the billing cycle to detect potential errors early. Flow computers execute validation routines before accumulating flow data, checking for issues with pressure, temperature, and flow rate measurements. This preliminary action prevents error propagation throughout the entire billing cycle while maintaining manageable device complexity through standardized validation algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The billing cycle validation process is segmented into multiple phases: preliminary validations at the start, continuous monitoring during the cycle, and final validations at the end. This segmentation allows the system to catch errors at different stages without requiring all validations to run simultaneously, reducing peak device complexity while improving overall data reliability through multi-stage error detection.
2Reliability
If real-time validations are performed continuously, then data reliability improves, but use of energy increases due to continuous processing
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic validation routines that execute at specific intervals during the billing cycle rather than continuously. Flow computers perform validations at predetermined time points (e.g., hourly or daily) and when significant changes in flow conditions are detected. This periodic approach maintains data reliability through regular checks while reducing energy consumption by keeping processors in lower-power states between validation cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The validation frequency is dynamically adjusted based on flow conditions. During periods of stable, normal operation, validations occur at lower frequency to conserve energy. When anomalies are detected or flow conditions change significantly, the system increases validation frequency automatically. This dynamic approach optimizes the balance between data reliability and energy usage by adapting processing intensity to actual operational needs.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and system of validating data regarding measured hydrocarbon flow. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are systems comprising a flow computer coupled to a metering tube and configured to measure fluid flow through the metering tube, and a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system coupled to the flow computer. The SCADA system is configured to perform a validation on data provided by the flow computer regarding fluid flow. The flow computer is configured to perform the validation on the data regarding fluid flow, and the if the validation is successfully completed by the flow computer, the SCADA system refrains from performing the validation.