Technical Publication

Flare Gas Flow Measurement and Control

Jim DeLee, Sr. Member, Technical Staff
Fluid Components International (FCI)

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 Flare Gas Flow Measurement and Control
Jim DeLee, Fluid Components International (FCI)

air pollution monitoring, abatement and reporting. The conversion

of these waste gases to cleaner burning electric power generating
and their integration into the power grid also is being encouraged
at multiple levels of governments.
Many oil and gas operations, refineries and chemical plants
have flare gas system applications that are uniquely challenged
with two diverse and critically important flow conditions: (1) very
low flow under normal conditions and (2) sudden very high flows
during an upset/blow-down condition. Plant operators, managers
and instrument-and-control engineers are then further challenged
to comply with the environmental agencies and emissions trading
regulations for their flares stipulating flow meter accuracy of
± 5% of reading throughout the entire measuring range.

I n oil/gas production, refining and storage operations

around the globe, flare gas systems are used to burn-
off and dispose of waste, excess or off-gases, and as a
Flow Meter Challenges
Flare gas flow measurement applications present several unique
safety system. The accurate, responsive and reliable challenges to plant, process and instrument engineers when
measurement of flare gas is essential in order to assure selecting a flow meter solution. In addition to both low flow rates
proper operation of the flare gas system, which protects and then sudden high flow rates during upset conditions, there
people and equipment from potentially hazardous several other important criteria to consider when selecting a flow
combustible gas to maintain a safe working environment meter for flare gas applications:
and to avoid environmental contamination.
g Mixed gases – Flow meter calibration specifically for
hydrocarbon composition gases and matched to actual
The Problem process conditions
Flare gas flow meters provide plant operations managers with g Large pipe sizes – As line sizes increase the effective
an intelligent tool to signal abnormal process changes, early leak and suitable flow metering technology options (choices)
detection and report on flared gases to comply with safety and decrease
environmental agency reporting. Flare gas systems are installed
on offshore platforms and in land-based production fields, on
g Lack of available straight-run – Larger line size and
transport ships and in port facilities, at storage tank farms and limited real estate, particularly on off-shore platforms, are
along distribution pipelines. restrictive to providing required straight run to achieve
The dangers of improper hydrocarbon gas handling are repeatable flow metering accuracy
well known and are regulated strictly by the United States (U.S.) g Agency approvals for installation in hazardous (Ex)
Occupational, Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) as well locations – The entire flow metering instrument should
as other international safety organizations. The combustible and carry agency approval credentials for installation in
flammable properties of hydrocarbons make their handling a highly environments with potential hazardous gases; enclosure
regulated process, requiring flow meter design certifications from only ratings are inadequate (and risky)
multiple international approval agencies including FM, FMc,
ATEX and IECEx to name a few. g Compliance with local environmental regulations – Meet
In their efforts to reduce global warming, the U.S. performance and calibration procedures mandated within
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the European Union (EU) local regulations such as US EPA’s 10 CFR 40; 40 CFR 98;
and agencies at multiple levels of government around the globe EU Directives 2003/87/EC and 2007/589/EC; US MMR 30
are imposing stricter regulations that vary by geographic zone for CFR Part 250, Subpart K, Section 250 and others

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 Flare Gas Flow Measurement and Control
Jim DeLee, Fluid Components International (FCI)

g Limited access – Pipe access and re-access for installation,

maintenance or servicing is difficult; spool-piece flow
meters may require prolonged process shut-down and
extensive on-site labor costs to install and maintain
g Offshore platforms corrosive salt water – Offshore
platform may require use of stainless steel on all
exposed instrument materials, including sensors, process
connections and enclosures

Key Criteria For Flow Meter Selection

When selecting a flow meter for flare gas applications, plant
operators, managers, process and instrument engineers, will
want to have compiled a key criteria check list. There are
multiple air/gas flow measurement technologies to choose from Figure 2: ST100 Series flow meters
and not all of them are well suited to the accuracy, reliability,
rangeability and rugged operating environment in the oil/gas
industry. For example, some flow meter technologies are better The Solution
at measuring liquids (volume) than air or gases (mass flow). The Owners, operators, managers and engineers across the
accuracy of some flow meters is influenced by heat and some petrochemical industry have relied on Fluid Components
sensor technologies are temperature-compensated to maintain International (FCI) for gas flow measurement solutions for
accuracy. Moving parts are acceptable in some operating decades. The company’s flow meters are installed in flare gas
environments and in other environments they can require high systems at both land-based and offshore platform systems
levels of maintenance or repair or replacement. throughout the world, as well as in petrochemical refineries,
Selecting a flow meter can be a complicated process. A storage and distribution plants.
check list to select a flare gas flow meter should include at a The company’s flare gas solutions range from single-line
minimum the following capabilities. Creating a simple check- to a large flaring system with a complex array of tributary lines
box matrix to compare various flow meters against the following and mixed gases. From ultra-low flow measurement to detect the
criteria will quickly narrow the choices: smallest of leaks and up to 1000 SFPS [305 NMPS] to measure
major upset conditions accurately at very high flows, the
g Wide turndown for both low flow and high flow conditions company’s flow meters are a proven solution.
g Meet local environmental agency requirements for While the company offers at least three flow meter product
accuracy and periodic calibration verification lines suitable for flare gas system applications, its next-generation
ST100 Series Air/Gas Flow Meter (Figure 2) provides extensive
g NIST certified calibration for mixed hydrocarbon flare gases
features and functions that extend and optimize its application in
g Multiple calibrations for variations in composition flare flow measurement. The ST100 Series flow meters combine
g Direct mass flow measurement a broad range of easy to install insertion flow elements with the
g Easy to install, minimal penetration points industry’s most powerful and flexible electronics/transmitter and
specialized, precision flare gas calibrations.
g Non-clogging, non-fouling, no moving parts design for
With wide turn downs, specific calibrations for mixed
lowest maintenance
gas compositions, SR2x™ split-range/dual calibration and
g Agency approved for installation in explosive gas classified maximum output flexibility with 4-20 mA analog outputs or bus
environments communications such as HART, Foundation™ fieldbus, or Modbus,
g Stainless steel wetted parts and optional stainless steel this flow meter delivers a state-of-the-art gas flow meter for
process connections and enclosure housings industrial process, plant and offshore flare applications.

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 Flare Gas Flow Measurement and Control
Jim DeLee, Fluid Components International (FCI)

Variable Flow Conditions

Many oil/gas operations, refineries and chemical plants have
flare applications uniquely challenged with two diverse flow
conditions, very low flow under normal conditions and very high
flow during an upset/blowdown condition. These industries are
then further challenged to comply with environmental agencies
and emissions trading regulations for their flares stipulating
flow meter accuracy of ± 5% of reading throughout the entire
measuring range.
The answer to this challenge is provided with the ST100 Flow
Meter’s SR2x split range/dual calibration option that provides:

g Split ranges – Two separate and discrete ranges, one

optimized in the low flow range and one optimized in the
high flow range (Figure 3)
g Double calibration points – Strategically placed and
optimized in the low flow range and high flow range
to achieve ± 0.75% reading, ± 0.5% of full scale to a
maximum of ± 5% of reading
g Dual 4-20mA analog outputs – One dedicated to the low
flow range and the other to high flow range; this ensures
maximum resolution of both the low flow and high flow
range at the DCS, or, if any of the bus communications are
specified, a single, contiguous high accuracy digital value
over the entire flow range is sent to the DCS

Large Pipes
In pipe sizes larger than 16 inches [406 mm] a dual-element
averaging system can provide better measurement performance
and a more viable solution when it is impractical or impossible
to provide the required straight-run or installation of a flow
conditioner is difficult. The company’s dual-element averaging
system (Figure 4) available with the ST100 Flow Meter provides

Figure 3: Dual Calibration Performance Figure 4: Dual Element Systems

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 Flare Gas Flow Measurement and Control
Jim DeLee, Fluid Components International (FCI)

the solution. Contact the applications engineers at the company

to determine if a dual-element averaging system will benefit the
application.

Communicate the Flow

Local readout, multiple 4-20 mA analog outputs, digital bus
communications including HART, Foundation fieldbus, Modbus and
more, are all available with ST100 Series to provide the flare flow
data (Figure 5). Should the plant need to change or upgrade, the
meter is field upgradeable to any of the available outputs.

VeriCal™ In-Situ Calibration Verification

Many flare meter installations, either per plant edict or for Figure 5: Readouts & Digital Communication
compliance with environmental regulations, require regular
validation of calibration. Traditionally this has required a
cumbersome and costly project to remove the meter from service
and return it to a lab, which is particularly frustrating if the meter Conclusions
is found to still be within calibrated specifications. When selecting a flow meter for flare gas systems, be sure
The VeriCal System (Figure 6) provides a simple-to-use to start by developing a check list of key criteria that include
tool to verify the FCI flow meter is still within calibration performance, the operating environment, environmental and
without extracting the meter from pipe. The VeriCal system safety criteria. Look for the lowest installed cost, lowest
consists of a special VeriCal ready flow sensor, a portable maintenance and longest life flow meter technology. Relying on
VeriCal Kit (which can be used with any number of VeriCal- these simple suggestions will help you reduce the confusion of
ready ST100 flow meters) and an additional benchmark multiple choices in flow meter technologies to arrive at a solution
calibration document to which field verification samples are that performs as intended to ensure the plant operates efficiently,
compared. safely and with the minimum environmental footprint. 

Figure 6: VeriCal System

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