RE: Sampling a fluid process

["Morris Taylor" <wmt@netcomuk.co.uk>]

This could turn into a useful learning - in communicating and listening to
both the voice of the customer and the voice of the process.
Could we have more details and we could then turn it into a proper case
discussion

So should we be asking simple things like "what is your aim?" "how will you
know when you've got there?" and "what is your method?"
Might also help to know what type of process is in use. There are different
ones which operate on entirely different principles although the aim is the
same - (usually) to clean up the produced water discharged overboard from
oil production platforms - a very important issue, particularly on older
assets with high water 'cuts'.

And there I've made an assumption with little evidence ... I could be way
off track and we could be talking about a process that I know even less
about ...
Many years ago I was involved in training those who operated this kind of
plant, and those who carried out the tests.
At that time your plant was performing satisfactorily if the reading was 15
ppm oil in water
Properly operated Hydrocyclones can deliver better performance, but that's
another chapter.

The measure discussed is in fact a realistic check of how well a piece of
hydrocarbon process plant is functioning usually a hydrocylone which
operates with reverse vortex - a little bit like one of these new-fangled
'bagless' vacuum cleaners but with fluids instead of solids. Yes it is a
crude analogy - but it'll have to do for now.

I'm not therefore sure that you can move the measurement upstream on that
"piece of kit" but would be happy to discuss the matter on back channel.
In order to demonstrate that the processing plant was effective - or in some
cases that the clean-up process was non-operational - there was (and it is
likely that there still is) a *fiscal* requirement to regularly test  the
"oily water overboard".
Once a month you were allowed an "excursion" of up to 40 ppm (I didn't
design the regulations - just tried to make sure they were followed)

I remember one operator who consistently had 15 ppm as his reported
measurement. Never 14 or 13 or 16 or 17 - always 15.
When he was called from the control room Tannoy the call that went out was
often "Fifteen - please call the control room - thankyou"
He always responded to his nickname.
Have things changed...?

Morris
wmt@netcom.co.uk
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