This article was specially written for AMS by Paul Stockwell, managing director of Process Vision.
For years, hydrocarbon dewpoint (HCDP) has been used as the industry’s marker for “dry gas”. The problem is that dewpoint measurements assume the gas and liquid phases in a pipeline are in equilibrium, the same calm conditions you’d find in a lab flask. But real pipelines don’t behave like that. Gas typically moves at 20–100 ft/sec, while any liquid films or droplets creep along the pipe wall at less than 1 ft/sec. They never reach equilibrium.
The result? An analyser or equation of state can report a dewpoint of –40 °C, while liquids are simultaneously flowing into compressors and downstream equipment. That creates an unsafe blind spot: operators think they’re moving dry gas, while liquid carryover is causing $millions in pigging and disposal costs, and suppliers are losing $millions in lost condensates to the gas line. Visual systems like LineVu are now showing the industry what’s really happening inside the pipe and why it’s time to move beyond dewpoint to answer the question “is my gas wet or dry?”
LineVu reveals contamination in high pressure natural gas systems that until now has been undetected. Despite commercial and legal contracts requiring that no liquids or solids should enter a gas network, it is common to find that liquid contamination is the cause of damage to power stations and other plant all over the world.
By monitoring the efficiency of gas/liquid separation systems, the patented LineVu systems provides game-changing safety and financial benefits.
For further information, visit the AMS website.
