Custody transfer metering performance for turbine and positive displacement meters on batched crude oil pipelines

The USA pipeline grid is quickly migrating from transporting low viscosity crude oils to large volumes of moderate to high viscosity crude oils. As a result, the challenges associated with custody transfer, loss control and line integrity have been brought to a new level. To assist in these challenges, an evaluation was undertaken on three flowmeters on a batched crude oil pipeline. A series of experiments are currently underway to evaluate the performance of a conventional turbine meter, a dual bladed helical turbine meter and a capillary seal positive displacement meter over a wide range of transport properties. The goal of this program is to assist the Northern American pipeline industry in determining economically acceptable alternatives in the handling of ever increasing high viscosity crude oils.