Need for Sampling in Oil and Gas Industry

Application Note: Oil & Gas

In an oil refinery, crude oil is processed and refined into more

useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt
base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas. In these
refineries there is extensive piping running throughout, carrying
streams of fluids between large chemical processing units. These
fluids are at different temperatures, pressures, viscosities and so
on. For monitoring different process parameters for various
purposes, it becomes essential to do the sampling of these
processes, condition these samples and then analyze them by
“on-line” or “off-line” methods.

Most processes in the Oil and Gas sector are critically controlled.
It is impossible to control any process unless it is measured
properly. In refinery or petrochemical complexes, various process
fluids (both liquid and gases) need to be measured offline. As
these fluids can be inflammable or toxic, they must be handled
carefully. Moisture in these process samples poses many
problems during analysis. Hence it must be removed. Sampling
systems can help remove this moisture. Also some distillates
from refineries are under high pressure and temperature. Hence
proper conditioning of these fluids prior to analysis is a must.
Sampling systems must provide a safe working environment for
the operator.

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Various Varieties of Sampling in a Petroleum Refinery are as Follows

Crude oil sampling: Crude oil sampling is done at strategic locations which include the offshore platform, marine loading
terminal, pipeline or refinery, and is crucial for accurate allocation, custody transfer or BS&W measurement.

Condensate sampling: Representative condensate sampling and mixing systems are suitable for high pressure, onshore
or offshore locations and designed to minimize the effects of process changes on the validity of the sample. Representative
sample is the need for dependable analysis, hence the sampling system design is of utmost importance.

LNG sampling: Sampling liquefied hydrocarbon gases, many times at low temperature and high pressure, calls for
precision system design using high quality materials and special sample handling equipment.

Refined product sampling: These sampling systems can be useful to provide ISO 9000 certification of refined products
like naphtha, diesel, gasoline or aviation fuel. Special handling procedures allow samples to be quickly analyzed for density
or quality.

Wet gas sampling: Metering wet gas using traditional differential pressure devices can cause errors in gas measurement.
The wet gas sampler allows the extraction of samples to accurately measure the liquid/gas mass or volume ratio and
determine the contents of the liquid phase.

Gas sampling: Isokinetic hydrocarbon gas samplers need to be designed to maintain sample composition throughout the
sampling and handling process. Fluctuations in pressure and temperature can cause composition changes affecting
laboratory results.

Multiphase sampling: Extracting representative samples from multiphase flow to be used for analysis and subsequent
calibration of multiphase measurement instruments is crucial to accurate production measurement.

Bunker fuel sampling: Accurate sampling of bunker fuel for BS&W and viscosity measurement is crucial to the successful
operation of marine vessels. Poor sampling can lead to catastrophic engine failure or marine accident.

LPG sampling: Sampling liquefied hydrocarbon gases, often at low temperature and high pressure, demands precision
system design using high quality materials and special sample handling equipment.

Sampling of other utilities: Sampling of other utilities such as steam or water is required to analyse dissolved impurities
such as silica, sodium, dissolved oxygen, total organic carbon (TOC), oil and other salts.
Off-line Sampling

Oil and Gas industry samples are extracted from the inlet and outlet of
various distillation columns, vessels and pipelines. Sampling systems are
used for liquids like diesel, naptha, kerosene, oil and gases like LPG,
propylene etc.

Forbes Marshall provides the most customized solutions for gas and liquid
sampling. Samples in petroleum refineries, petrochemical complexes and
chemical industry are either flammable or hazardous. Forbes Marshall’s
closed loop sampling system provides a safe means to sample out these
fluids.

These sampling systems are designed to handle a wide range of fluids like:
High pressure gases
Hot gases
Hot flashing liquids
Toxic fluids
Light and medium distillates

These sampling systems are available in ‘flow through to vent’ and ‘flow
through to process plus vent’ configuration. These configurations are
customized for individual applications and operating parameters.

Refinery Process Schematic

Fuel Gas
Amine Treating Refinery Fuel

Other Gases H2 S Claus Sulfur

Sulfur
Plant
LPG
Gas Gas Processing Merox Treaters H2S From
Butanes
Sour Water Stripper
Gas H2 Gas H2

Light Isomerization Isomerate

Hydrotreater
Naphtha Plant

Gas H2 Gas H2

Heavy Catalytic Reformate

Hydrotreater
Reformer
Atmosphrio Distillation

Naphtha

Jet Fuel Gas H2

Jet Fuel
Crude Merox Treater and / or
Gasoline Blending Pool

Kerosene Kerosene
Oil
Hydrocracked Gasoline
Hydrocracker

Gas H2

Diesel Oil
Hydrotreater Diesel Oil Diesel Oil
Gas
Atmospheric
i-Butane
Gas Oil Alkylate
Butenes Alkylation
Heavy Vacuum
Pentenes
Gas Oil Gas Gas H2
Evacuated
non-condensibles Gas H2
Naphtha FCC Gasoline
Hydrotreater
Atmospheris

Fluid Catalytic
Cracker (FCC)
Bottoms

FCC Feed
Hydrotreater
Light
Vacuum FCC Gas Oil
Fuel Oil
Gas Oil
Distillation

Gas
Vacuum

Heavy
Vacuum Coker Naphtha
Delayed Coker

Gas Oil (after hydrotreating and reforming)

H2S to Sulfur Plant

Coker Gas Oil
Vacuum Residuum Sour
Steam Stripper

Waters
Sour Water

Petroleum Coke
Asphalt
Asphalt
Air Blowing
Syeam
Stripped
Water
Finished products are shown in blue CO2
H2
Sour waters are derived from various distillation tower
reflus drums in the refinery
Natural Gas Hydrogen
The “other gases” entening the gas processing unit Synthesis
includes all the gas streams from the various Steam
process units
What Forbes Marshall Can Do For You

With a lot of experience in providing systems for various processes for metering, measuring, analysis, control and other
requirements in oil and gas industry we are in better position to understand your process.

With more than 60 years experience in Steam Engineering & Control Instrumentation, we are better placed to understand
the thermodynamics, piping design, welding practices and other mechanical aspects of design.

With more than two decades of experience in the field of Steam & Water Analysis Systems (SWAS) for Power Industry, with
more than 400 references, we have expertise and infrastructure to deal with very high sample temperatures and pressures.

We have supplied various sampling systems to renowned companies in the Oil & Gas sector.

Forbes Marshall Offers Off-line Sampling Solutions in the Following Areas

Symbol Area Of Concern Forbes Marshall Solution

High Temperature Forbes Marshall designs Sample Coolers for proper cooling of
Samples sample for equipments and operators safety before collecting
sample for lab analysis

Flammable Fluids Forbes Marshall designs Sampling System with Fast Loops and
venting arrangements before collecting for analysis

Humane Hazard Forbes Marshall designs Sampling System with Safety Interlocks
(Toxic Fluids) for safety of operator collecting toxic liuids, flammable liquids

Corrosive Samples Forbes Marshall designs system with correct metallurgy for
collecting sample fluids for handling corrosive fluids

Fumes Forbes Marshall designs system with correct venting, draining and
purging arrangement

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