MICRO MOTION WHITE PAPER
BY STEVE WHITMAN, COASTAL FLOW MEASUREMENT, INC.
The Proof is in the Proving
Reducing costs--a challenge for any industry
Flow measurement is an essential service for a variety of busi-
nesses, including the liquid hydrocarbon (petroleum) industry.
The ongoing challenge is to provide accurate flow measure-
ment while anticipating and correcting problems in the mea-
surement system.
An important objective of flow measurement is to control
costs, particularly in the areas of flowmeter maintenance and
unaccounted for product losses. These basic measurement
guidelines will enable any business to reduce its operating
costs:
· Select a flowmeter for high accuracy and increased reliabili-
ty.
· Employ calibration methods with lower uncertainty.
· Acquire meaningful data of significant quality.
· Use data from calibrations to predict or prevent flowmeter
failures.
· Use data to minimize product losses and increase uptime.
· Implement software solutions to maximize operational effi-
ciency.
This paper will focus on proving flowmeters to enhance the
measurement process while reducing overall operating costs.
What is proving?
Proving is a measurement term familiar in the hydrocarbon
industry, often used interchangeably with calibrating. It refers
to multiple (typically five) comparisons or calibrations at a sin-
gle flow rate. These comparisons are performed on site, at
operating conditions. The goal of proving is to develop a cor-
rection factor, called a meter factor, to adjust for the influence
of actual operating conditions (flow rate, pressure, tempera-
ture, etc.). The benefits of proving include:
· Verification of flowmeter accuracy
· Documentation of flowmeter reliability
· Reduced uncertainty
· Lower incidence of product loss
· Enhanced prediction of flowmeter failures
KNOWLEDGE
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The number or frequency of provings required in a given cir-
cumstance must be determined by each business according to
its own priorities. Every situation should be assessed with
regard to mean failure time of the flowmeter and the financial
impact of the meter’s inaccuracy. How often to prove is direct-
ly proportionate to the degree of inaccuracy and profit loss a
business is willing to tolerate.
Guidance for proving
The American Petroleum Institute (API) offers guidance on
proving in its Manual of Petroleum Measurement Standards
(MPMS). Although these standards were written specifically for
the custody transfer of hydrocarbon fluids, the underlying prin-
ciples and procedures can be applied for the improvement of
measurement in any industry.
The International Standards Organization (ISO) and the
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) also have stan-
dards addressing meter proving.
Employing better calibration methods with lower
uncertainty
API standards rely on the “1 in 10,000 rule” to achieve more
accurate results for the custody transfer of liquid hydrocar-
bons. An accuracy rate of one part in ten thousand is the basis
for:
· Collecting primary data (to five significant digits)
· Collecting secondary data (e.g., related pressures or temper-
atures)
· Calculating intermediate values
· Calculating final results
· Calibrating provers
To demonstrate how differences in the collection of primary
data can affect results, consider a scenario whereby an opera-
tor uses his shop scale to calibrate a mass flowmeter. The cho-
sen scale indicates in one-pound increments only. If the shop
scale reads 100 pounds compared to the meter’s 100.00, it
would appear that the meter is 100% accurate. However, you
must take into consideration that the proving has an uncer-
tainty of 1%.
Since the scale reading lacks precision, the mathematical pre-
cision of the comparison is plus or minus 1%. If the operator
continued to measure 100-pound batches, the results would
MICRO MOTION WHITE PAPER
vary from 99 to 101 pounds. To lower the uncertainty of each
proving, the scale and meter readings must indicate more sig-
nificant digits (e.g., 100.01 pounds). Table 1 illustrates how
the number of significant digits can impact results, particularly
when placed in a financial context.
Weight % Uncertainty
100 lbs = ± 1.0% uncertainty
1000 lbs = ± 0.10% uncertainty
10,000 lbs = ± 0.01% uncertainty
Table 1. The 1 in 10,000 rule
Latest proving technologies
Matching current proving technologies to the appropriate
application simplifies the measurement process. Coastal Flow
Measurement routinely employs the following advanced tech-
nologies.
Figure 1. A moblie small volume Prover (SVP)
Small volume provers (SVPs): An SVP is a dynamic volumetric
prover (calibrator) comprised of a precision-machined pipe, a
piston, and optical switches. These provers perform calibra-
tions using a fraction of the volume required by traditional
provers with equal or increased accuracy. Due to its small size,
an SVP is easy to trailer mount and transport from one location
to the next.
Figure 2. Micro Motion Coriolis meter used as a master meter prover.
Mass flowmeters as master meter provers: Coriolis mass
flowmeters are the preferred choice for master meter type
Page 2 of 4
proving applications when volumetric provers do not suit the
situation or in applications with other mass flowmeters.
Comparing mass from one Coriolis meter to another elimi-
nates the cumbersome process required by inferred mass
provers--numerous pressure and temperature determinations,
correction factor calculations, and density determinations. A
mass-to-mass calibration is simpler and generally more accu-
rate than an inferred mass calibration. The Micro Motion mas-
ter meter prover shown in Figure 2 was built to prove other
mass meters on acids. Most volumetric provers cannot with-
stand acids. However, the Micro Motion meter is unaffected by
concentrated acids and is an excellent choice for this applica-
tion.
Proving software: A number of programs effectively manage
data. Software typically improves adherence to standards,
minimizes the operator’s influence on results, and provides
information for better overall management of costs. “Prove-
It!” by FlowCal, Inc. is considered by many to be the premier
proving software package in the hydrocarbon industry. The
software gathers data automatically and calculates the results
with mathematical accuracy, free of operator error. Software
for any proving operation should offer the following “Prove-It!”
features:
· Automated data collection
· Preprogrammed tolerances
· Automated data verification
· Historical evaluation of results
· Data or result exceptions
· Predictive intelligence for meter failure or inaccuracy
Latest metering technologies
While Coriolis mass flowmeters are not the newest metering
technology on the market, they are the latest to be accepted
by the API. Chapter 5.6, “Measurement of Liquid Hydrocarbons
by Coriolis Meters,” was added to the API Manual of Petroleum
Measurement Standards in October of 2002. This standard
effectively combined two previous draft standards that were
written specifically for crude oil and other products.
Figure 3. Ethane measurement station utilizing a mass meter.
The Proof is in the Proving Page 3 of 4

Coriolis meters measure mass directly and are not affected by

variable operating conditions such as temperature or pres-
sure. Since light hydrocarbon (NGL) transactions are based on
mass, Coriolis meters are ideal for this application. Typically,
the mass of the fluid is inferred from separate volume and
density measurements (volume x density = mass). Prior to the
development of Coriolis flowmeters, inferred mass measure-
ment was the only option available to the industry. Figure 3
depicts a common mass flowmeter installation at an NGL stor-
age facility.
Conclusion
Advances in technology, proper equipment selection, quality
software applications, and adherence to industry standards all
combine to streamline liquid hydrocarbon measurement and
significantly reduce operating costs. These current standards
and practices may be applied to any business serious about
controlling its measurement operating costs.
About the author
Steve Whitman, the president of Coastal Flow Measurement,
has been with the company for over twenty years. Coastal
Flow is an independent hydrocarbon measurement company,
providing over 30 years of service to oil and gas producers,
pipelines, gatherers, processors, refineries, and petrochemical
plants.
MICRO MOTION WHITE PAPER Page 4 of 4

The Proof is in the Proving

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