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Case Study

Industry-First Subsea Ultrasonic Flowmeter

    We partnered with Oceaneering to develop a ROV-installable subsea ultrasonic flowmeter.

    A non-invasive subsea flow measurement tool was developed for model validation and calibration. This innovative solution provided a suitable alternative to the only other option being a costly workover of the rig.

    Specifications

    Project

    Industry-First Subsea Ultrasonic Flowmeter

    Project Overview
    • Based on a unique customer requirement, Aquip’s Engineering team worked in partnership with Oceaneering to develop a ROV-installable subsea ultrasonic flowmeter.
    • The flowmeter was to be used to determine gas injection flow rate to an individual well offshore in Australia.
    • A non-invasive subsea flow measurement tool was developed for model validation and calibration. This innovative solution provided a suitable alternative to the only other option being a costly workover of the rig.
    Project Challenges
    • The customer was aware their pipe was leaking and had attempted to rectify the leak using sealant.
    • The sealant was unsuccessful due to an unknown gas flow that appeared to be too high based on their inability to measure gas injection to a well.
    • The customer needed to monitor the pipeline floor but there is no current technology as the subsea well was some 300 metres below the ocean.
    • Aquip supplies meters that can measure flow but they are not designed for underwater environments.
    Project Results
    • Working with Oceaneering, Aquip’s technical team successfully marinised an ultrasonic flowmeter and made it ROV-installable.
    • For this to be possible, the flowmeter had to be fitted with a safe and reliable attachment mechanism.
    • The project was turned around in an 8-week period with our team undertaking full FAT testing.
    • The flowmeter identified that the choke indicator was incorrect.
    • When the flowmeter was installed and the choke “closed”, it was found the choke needed to be closed in two positions for the flow to return to zero.
    • The customer was then able to inject the correct rate of sealant based on the gas flowrate and seal the leak.
    • This was the first time an ultrasonic flow meter has been used in an offshore subsea application to measure gas or liquid.
    • Customers are now able to non-invasively verify choke positions, validate flow on permanently installed flow meters and flow assurance models by measuring gas or liquid flow on existing infrastructure.

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