Litre Meter Ships 12 LF05 VFF Flowmeters to New Zealand

UK flowmeter specialist Litre Meter has shipped 12 LF05 VFF positive displacement flowmeters to Kempe Australia for use in chemical injection applications offshore New Zealand. The rotary piston flow meters are to be used to measure the flow of a number of chemicals including corrosion inhibitor, demulsifier and scale inhibitor.

Five skids, each with its dedicated flowmeters, are being constructed for the Maari Growth Project in the Taranaki Basin operated by OMV New Zealand.

The chemicals are injected at high pressure into pipelines via the skids which will be installed on unmanned well head platforms. The chemicals will be delivered to the skids through umbilicals from a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel located in the field.

The application requires distribution of the various chemicals to up to 12 wells/injection points via SkoFlo pressure-independent control valves. Measurement of the chemical injection rate is critical because blockages caused by a build up of scale or emulsified sludge can result in a shutdown and the risk of explosion or unintended release of hydrocarbons into the environment.

Blocked pipes may have to be uplifted to remove the blockage, causing costly loss of production. Litre Meter meters assist in maintaining flow assurance and reducing production costs by measuring the flow of chemicals needed to prevent hydrate and sludge formation. Chemicals are expensive which means that their use needs to be carefully monitored.

Accurate chemical injection monitoring is provided by the LF05 Litre Meter flow meters both locally and remotely back to the FPSO control room.

The VFF LF05 flowmeter is suitable for measuring liquids at pressure ratings up to 1,035 bar (15,011 psi) and flow rates from 0-30 l/hr. It covers a viscosity range from under 0.8 to above 2,000 centipoise (cP). Constructed in 316 stainless steel with a PVD coated titanium rotor, the meter is of intrinsically safe design and manufactured to operate reliably at temperatures ranging from -40 to 150°C.

Litre Meter CEO Charles Wemyss said: “This was an important order for us and for Kempe. The feedback from the customer was very positive. “The flow meters were checked for accuracy and all the SkoFlo valves were tested for operability and accuracy throughout their operational range. “Litre Meter’s VFF flowmeter is ideally suited for use in the oil and gas industry and in particular for low flow / high pressure applications. “Years of experience in chemical injection applications onshore and offshore have confirmed the instrument’s capability to reliably measure fluids under extreme conditions of both temperature and pressure.”