Flow computers play a vital role in oil and gas production facilities by accurately measuring and allocating custody transfer of product quantities. Let's take a deeper look into these integral field devices.
What is a Flow Computer?
An oil and gas flow computer is a dedicated measurement device used to totalize hydrocarbon production from individual wellheads or manifold groupings. Flow computers accept input from various field instrumentation like flow meters, temperature sensors, pressure transmitters and density instruments and perform complex calculations to determine real-time production rates and cumulative quantities.
At the core, a flow computer runs supercompressible fluid equations of state to account for fluid behaviour changes under varying pressure and temperature conditions. With its robust processing capabilities, a flow computer provides operational visibility deep into a facility while ensuring fiscal metering accuracy for revenue allocation purposes.
Applications of Flow Computers
Flow computers are commonly applied at wellsites, manifolds, pipeline stations and terminals to serve several key functions:
Custody Transfer Measurement
At fiscal metering skids, flow computers provide the custody transfer point between an operator and purchaser. They totalize production with traceable audit trails to satisfy measurement obligations.
Production Allocation
For multi-well manifolds, flow computers apportion total flow rates to individual wells using allocation algorithms. This enables operators to monitor performance of each well.
Fiscal Accounting
Production totals from flow computers feed into operators' fiscal accounting systems for run statements, JIB preparation, tax reporting and more.
Process Control & Optimization
Real-time flow rates aid process control decisions like starting/stopping equipment based on setpoints. Flow computers also calculate important parameters like liquid-gas ratios.
Key Components of a Flow Computer
Modern flow computers essentially function as field-hardened programmable logic controllers (PLCs) with the following standard elements:
- Input/output (I/O) card module to connect to various field instruments
- Processor to run measurement applications and communications
- Memory to store configuration databases and audit trail logs
- Display for operator interface, alarms and diagnostics
- Communication ports for remote access via wired/wireless networks
Flow Computer Accuracy & Certification
Given their importance in revenue-critical applications, flow computers are engineered to deliver high accuracy in challenging environments. Major factors influencing a flow computer's performance include:
Component selection - Reliable I/O cards, processors from top vendors enhances accuracy.
Fluid algorithms - Use of comprehensive thermal dynamic models covering wide operational envelopes.
Certifications - Flow computers are third-party type approved and verified periodically through prover runs as per API, OIML, NTEP standards.
System design - From sensor selection and piping design to digital filtering techniques, the entire metering skid plays a role in accuracy.
Flow Computers in Modern Digital Oilfields
In today's digital oilfields, flow computers are continuously enhancing production monitoring capabilities by:
Real-time Communications
Flow computers connect via wireless networks to remote terminals for real-time data visibility and control. This enables instant production optimization decisions.
Sand Management
By tracking multiphase flow parameters like sand concentration, flow computers can help optimize chemical treatments for sand mitigation.
Intelligent Alarms
Advanced alarm management and diagnostics assist operators in identifying production issues at earliest for quick resolution.
Predictive Analytics
Flow computers are increasingly enabling AI/ML techniques like production forecasting by leveraging supervisory historical production data.
Digital Transformation
Field data from connected flow computers integrates seamlessly into operators' overall digital transformation initiatives like remote operations centers.
Innovation with Flow Computers
Flow computer original equipment manufacturers are relentlessly working to extend these devices' functionality through ongoing innovation. Some emerging capabilities include:
- Integrated multiphase flowmeters for custody transfer applications without third party meters
- Virtual flow meters using machine learning models for estimation at unequipped lines
- In-built edge intelligence through cognitive capabilities
- IIoT platform compatibility for cloud connectivity and advanced analytics
- Single integrated systems combining flow computers with other control components like valve manifolds
Conclusion
As a backbone technology in digital oilfields, flow computers have transformed hydrocarbon measurement and accounting through their precision, reliability and ever-expanding intelligence. Going forward, artificial lift and clean energy applications would further witness flow computers enabling greater efficiency through integrated production optimization.
Dynamic Flow Computers Market The global flow computer market is touted to generate a revenue of USD 1474.13 million by 2024 from USD 925.69 million in 2018, registering a CAGR of 8.49%.
The market also has a promising aspect that, with these developments, the valuation can reach further in the coming years as the demands can rise due to its abilities and functionalities.As the flow computer uses algorithms and complex calculations to calculate and record the flow rate of a particular flowing substance under the industry standards is what makes it more reliable and functional across the world.
With the help of sophisticated programming, damage-resistant hardware components, and graphical user interface to display the readings, it is gathering a high amount of populace, which is yet another factor taking the market to a great extent of valuation.On the other side, the flow computer manufacturers are making high investments to make flow computers use both wired or wireless networks to connect with different hardware devices such as pressure gauges, temperature probes, gas sensors, and distributed control systems.
Such a factor is yet again gathering the maximum amount of traction, which would let the market expand rapidly during the forecast period.Regional DynamicsThe geographical analysis of the global flow computers market has been conducted in major regions, specifically the Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and the rest of the world (covering Latin America, the Middle East and Africa).
North America is the leading region on the basis of market share owing to the existence of various key players who are creating new and advanced flow computer systems.
The increasing demand for advanced and dependable computing in industries is one of the significant factors contributing to the growth of the market in the region.
Dynamic Flow Computers Market The sudden challenges created by the ongoing COVID-19 are captured effectively to exhibit the long term growth projections in the MRFR report on Dynamic Flow Computers Market.
The growth sectors of the Dynamic Flow Computers Market are identified with precision for a better growth perspective.Market Research Future (MRFR) expects the flow computer market 2020 to post a steady CAGR of 8.49% from 2019 to 2024 (evaluation period).
We will provide covid-19 impact analysis with the report, offering an extensive market evaluation post the coronavirus disease outbreak.FREE PDF@ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/8147Top Impacting Factors and Primary Deterrents The escalating need for advanced computing systems and the rising deployment of high quality flow computing technology in industries like water & wastewater, oil & gas, food & beverage and automotive have benefitted the flow computer market to a large extent.
The emergence of technologically innovative products like single stream, multi-stream and scanner model flow computers also anticipated to work in the market’s favor during the appraisal period.The wastewater treatment sector has emerged as one of the leading end-users in the global market, which has led to its massive growth in recent years.
Fast urbanization rate along with the decline in the accessibility to hygienic water resources call for more need of municipal wastewater treatment.
The worldwide population explosion coupled with industrialization has pushed the demand for higher number of treatment plants.
