Liquid measurement field survey proves comprehensive

Liquid measurement surveys, properly designed and properly conducted, can yield valuable information about the performance of pipeline systems, and can identify problems that need to be corrected. Failure to optimize pipeline operations can be costly. Pipeline performance often can be sharpened merely by training and assuring that field personnel use proper procedures and that equipment is calibrated properly and often. A higher level of performance may require installing new equipment. A comprehensive survey can determine exactly what equipment changes may be required and provide information that can be used for an economic study to determine if new equipment can be justified. Although this article is specific to liquid pipelines, the principles of measurement surveys can be applied equally to bulk terminals, marine voyages, refineries, and any system that includes measurement of receipts, deliveries and inventory. The principles apply to any measurable liquid including crude oils, refined products and LPG. The measurement survey principles reviewed here may also be applied to gas systems, but gas surveys will differ in equipment and procedural details, and often are not able to achieve the same level of accuracy as liquids due to the compressibility of gases and the extreme effect of temperature and pressure on gas volume.