Liquid sampling equipment designed for use in the oil and gas industry can be separated into several categories:
1. Liquid sampling tools describe the equipment used to measure the various constituents found in oil and gas systems. These tools can then be further categorized according to their function or use.
In order to provide corrosion resistance, most liquid samplers are made of Stainless Steel. EnhanceCo’s tools are generally constructed with 316L stainless steel. We also provide other materials, including Hastelloy and Incoloy, which are used in systems that are extremely corrosive.
2. Liquid sampling devices, when used in the oil and gas industry, are designed to collect materials for further analysis, which can include:
- Corrosion rates, which are measured with weight loss corrosion coupons, corrosion spools, electronic probes (ER or electrical resistance probes, and LPR or linear polar resistance probes), or MAS probes.
- Bacteria analysis (for both sessile and planktonic bacteria), which uses serial dilution techniques to identity the type of bacteria that may cause corrosion or deposition issues. In broad categories, these often include aerobic acid producing bacteria, anaerobic acid producing bacteria, sulfate-reducing bacteria, and general anaerobic bacteria. Other bacterial measurement techniques include DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) analysis, BART, bioluminescence and plate counts.
- Deposit analysis is used to determine the amount and type or organic and/or inorganic material that has accumulated in the sampling device. This information may lead to the source of corrosion or deposition problems within gas or fluid handling systems.
- Water analysis is an extremely useful tool that assists in determining the cause of, and possible solutions to, corrosion in gas and fluid handling systems within the oil and gas industry. The measurement of cations, anions and pH provides significant information when properly interpreted.
- Automatic liquid samplers are normally used during the process of custody transfer in the oil and gas industry. Oil samplers routinely take a specific amount of sample per volume of liquid in order to measure BS&W (basic sediment and water). This verifies the amount of contaminant per barrel of oil sold at a specific time and location. Pressure vessels are used to collect gas samples, which are then used to measure the various carbon chains and contaminants (including CO2 or carbon dioxide or H2S, hydrogen sulfide).
EnhanceCo does not market automatic samplers at this time but will be happy to provide additional information.