A new metering technology that reportedly marks a step change in the oil and gas industry’s approach to measuring multiphase flow rates was recently unveiled. Expro’s ActiveSONAR clamp-on sonar technology is specifically designed to monitor a range of flow rates in the heavy-schedule piping found in upstream oil and gas applications.

The new technology, part of the company’s Expro Meters product line, employs pulsed-array sonar technology that leverages the beamforming technique. This technique was originally developed for underwater acoustics to pinpoint the location of underwater sound sources. In this oilfield application, the device measures volumetric flow rates within pipes by determining the speed at which naturally occurring, coherent flow structures flow past an array of sensors that are clamped to the outside of the pipe.

The meter’s nonintrusive, clamp-on capability is particularly well-suited for applications in which intrusive flow measurements are not practical. The meter’s design enables it to be deployed on new or existing installations without shutting down production, thus lowering the technical risks and operating costs associated with flow measurement.

The meter boasts robust, calibration-free operation in both wellhead and process piping. Measurement is independent of process pressure and pipe schedule, and there is no pressure drop or permanent pressure loss associated with the measurement.

The ActiveSONAR meters reportedly are able to measure primary gas flow rates over a range of wet gas mixtures at flow velocities ranging from 0.5 to 20 m/s. While current sonar flow measurements are applicable to single- and two-phase flows, Expro is developing a series of three-phase meters based on this technology.

The company states that this new pulsed-array meter complements its PassiveSONAR meter that uses sonar-based, passive-listening technology to track coherent flow structures by monitoring the strain in the pipe caused by pressure perturbations. The combination of ActiveSONAR and PassiveSONAR reportedly broaden the range of wellhead production and injection surveillance applications that can be measured.

For more information, please visit the Expro Meters website.