The Oil & Gas Industry often operates in hostile and hazardous locations. Maintaining equipment in these environments is essential for effective production and reduced risk, while the regular calibration of equipment helps guard against incorrect measurement. Inaccuracy can lead to large financial losses at the exploration, production and distribution stages and significantly impact on-site safety.
The question of calibration
Calibration of equipment is completed by comparing a sequence of measurements on the device under test (also called the DUT) to a set of universally accepted reference standards. With regular calibration, oil and gas operators can be sure of the highest degree of measurement accuracy, reducing measurement uncertainties and helping to maximise profits.
A big money problem
Companies that do not regularly service and calibrate equipment risk products failing or working at sub-optimal levels. Without a servicing schedule in place, repairs or calibration can be considerably more expensive when carried out. An unplanned plant shut down is the most expensive by-product of equipment failure. Full mechanical shut downs can last weeks – there are reports of companies losing $40 million after being forced to restart after maintenance and equipment calibration.
Safety comes first
Failing to regularly assess, calibrate and maintain equipment could also put employees in danger. Consider gas flaring. Flare stacks are often used for burning off flammable gas released by pressure relief valves during the unplanned over-pressuring of plant equipment, something that regularly takes place during start-ups and shutdowns in production. The burning – or flaring – of excess natural gas is a critical part of oil and gas safety regimes. The alternative to allowing the gas to escape would be a significant build-up of pressure and the risk of explosion.
If flare gas meters are not properly calibrated and maintained, their accuracy is reduced. This can have a knock-on effect on the safe disposal of excess natural gas and potentially increase the likelihood of explosion.
A regular check-up
Fluenta is committed to providing customers with the most robust, reliable and accurate flare gas meters on the market. By maintaining our meters with a high level of service, our customers can expect Fluenta products to deliver reliable and effective measurement.
