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Case Study: Shale Gas Processing facility utilizing lots of Flexim meters

Shell – Upstream in the Eagleford ShaleSouth Texas near Mexico

Mexico

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� Shell’s New Gas Processing Facility – Segue 1

� Purchased 13 Flexim meters; 10 Gas and 3 liquid

� 5 meters on gas at 70 – 90 psig on small diameter th ick wall pipe 3” sch 80

Shell – Upstream in the Eagleford Shale

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� We start with the easy application – 3 liquid conden sate meters, 6” sch 40 with K shear transducers

� We find the condensate is aerated and we can not ge t a signal

� We inform plant Engineer Britt White (who purchased the meters) that we are not off to a smooth start, and ask Britt if there i s a solution he can think of

� Later Britt advises another mounting location befor e a valve that has 90 lbs and 10 lbs on each side. On the 90 lb side we are now i n business there is no air

� Britt asked us to put the gas portable next to a Si ck custody meter to test the Flexim meter accuracy. Once the compressibility fac tor was sorted out the portable was with 1% of the Sick 4 path meter.

Shell – Upstream in the Eagleford Shale

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� Epoxy is applied to the low pressure gas applicatio ns and left to dry overnight

� The epoxy is a new sound dampening material that we anticipate will provide better dampening needed for the low pressure applic ations

Shell – Upstream in the Eagleford Shale

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� The epoxy is sanded smooth at 3 and 9 o’clock where the transducers will go

Shell – Upstream in the Eagleford Shale

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� With some experimentation the best sound dampening is with a complete wrap of densit over the epoxy, transducers mounted in di rect over the sanded spots

Shell – Upstream in the Eagleford Shale

Completed Installation SCNR > 32 on all 4 LP gas li nes

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� Scott and Randy install the LP Gas Separator meter

Shell – Upstream in the Eagleford Shale

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� 5 Gas Compressor meters 1100psi = SCNR’s >35, 4” & 6” sch 80

� High turbulence near compressor

Shell – Upstream in the Eagleford Shale

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Shell – Upstream in the Eagleford Shale

� Mike and Scott put the finishing touches on a compr essor meter

� Best signal was obtained in direct mount due to hig h turbulance

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Conclusions

Shell – Upstream in the Eagleford Shale

� Shell was impressed with the installations. All met ers worked except 3 lines that were not operating yet

� Britt commented to some colleagues about ease of in stallation and how much money was saved by not having to cut pipe for in-li ne meters. The metering was not factored into the original design of the facili ty.

� We were very pleased with the good signals obtained on the low pressure gas applications

� We have Segue 2 to install which is a duplicate of Segue 1.

� Upstream applications for Flexim will continue to g ain more traction