OPERATOR TRAINING

USE OF CHART RECORDERS

Rev 0 Nov 2007
Chart Recorders

This is a short guide to show you how to correctly

use charts and chart recorders

You will learn how to:

1. Fill out a chart
2. Fit a chart to a recorder
3. Record metering changes on the chart
4. Bleed and check the zero on the recorder
5. Calculate the flow rate from the chart
6. Explain some different well conditions on the chart
Orifice Metering

• The orifice meter consists of an orifice plate

placed in a pipe of known diameter.
• By measuring the pressure drop (differential)
across the orifice plate, flowing temperature
and pressure, you can calculate the flow of
gas quite accurately.
• The 3-pen chart recorder records this
information.
Metering

• Mosaic Oil uses 3-pen chart recorders

throughout its operations to calculate the
flow from each orifice meter each month
• These readings are critical to the allocation of
products each month to our Joint Ventures
and allocation to each well to optimise
recovery
Barton Chart

• Red pen is static Coefficient

pressure.
– (Range: 0-1000 psig)
• Blue pen is differential
pressure. Static Pressure Range

– (Range: 0-200 inches Diff. Pressure Range

water) Temperature Range

• Green pen is
temperature
– (Range: 0-100°C)
 Static Pressure
• Red pen shows the static
(flowing) pressure of the
meter.
• To calculate the static
pressure in psig, take the
chart reading and multiply
by the static range of the
Barton recorder then divide Static Pressure Range
by 100 (Chart range is
always 0-100).

Example:
• The Static Pressure is the red
pen reading (6) times the static
pressure range (1000) divided
by the chart range (100) giving
60 psig.
 Differential Pressure
• Blue pen is the differential
reading
• This is the difference in
pressure across the orifice
plate. The differential
pressure range will vary
depending on the
differential range on the
Barton recorder.
Diff. Pressure Range
Example:
• The Differential Pressure is the
blue pen reading (12) times
the differential pressure range
(200) divided by the chart
range (100) which gives 24
inches Water Gauge (WG).
Temperature

• Green pen is the

temperature reading.
Its range is 0 – 100°C
on all Mosaic charts

Temperature Range
Coefficient

• The calculation of flow requires a figure

known as the “Coefficient”
• This is normally calculated by computer and
is a way that the other metering conditions
(e.g. pipe diameter, temperature, gas gravity
etc) are accounted for in the calculation
• The coefficient will be marked on the chart as
C/E 20.55 for example
Calculating Flow

Calculating the flow rate from the Barton Chart:

Calculator Mode of Operation:

• Static Reading [+] 15 [=] [x] Differential
Reading [=] [√] [x] Coefficient [=] [÷] 1000
[=]
Gives Flow in MMSCFD

(See next page for a worked example)

 Calculating Flow (Example)
Read from Chart:
Red pen = 6
Static Range = 6 x (1000/100) = 60 Coefficient

Blue pen = 12
Differential Range = 12 x (200/100) = 24

Coefficient (C/E) = 23.25

Calculate Flow: Static Pressure Range

Static Range [+] 15 [=] [x] Diff. Pressure Range

Differential Range [=] [√] [x]
Coefficient [=] [÷] 1000 Temperature Range

60 [+] 15 [=] [x] 24 [=] [√] [x] 23.25

[=] [÷] 1000 [=]

Flow = 0.986 MMSCFD

Filling out the Chart
• Carefully write data from SSP metering folder on each chart before
placing on recorder

Blank Chart Chart Filled in (Ready

for chart change)
Changing Charts

After filling in the chart correctly,

the chart can be put on.
1. Align the blue differential pen to
the correct time on the Start / First
Day part of the chart. Write the
Time and Date then Initial the
chart. (as shown in picture).
2. Bleed and Zero recorder (refer
next slide) and mark it on the
chart (as shown in picture).
3. When the old chart is removed,
mark the Time and Date on the
chart and Initial (as shown in the
picture).
Bleed & Check Zero
1. Close valves A & E
2. Open valves B & D
3. Open valve C
4. Wind out damping screw 2 turns.
(Use 1/8” allen key)
5. Wait until both the Static and
Differential pens come down to the
ZERO line on Chart.
6. Close valve C
7. Slowly open valve E until Static pen
in back to normal position then open
valve A
8. Now close valves B & D
9. Now wind in damping screw until it
stops. Then wind back out ¼ of a
turn and leave it set at that
10. Do not attempt to adjust any pens to
correct a zero error – report problem
to Foreman The damping screw
11. Write B&Z on chart where this is done adjusts the sensitivity
of the differential pen.
Well activity

• The operator should also record important

activities on the chart such as well being put
on line or off-line, or orifice plate changes.
• On the chart, write a short description (e.g.
“on line”), and the time & date with an arrow
pointing to the spot on the diff line.
Flow Conditions
Stuck pens
• The chart opposite is probably
due to the differential pen
getting caught on the
temperature pen (Look at the
blue pen mark compared to the
green pen mark).
• The pens are offset so that the
green lags the blue pen which
lags the red pen. Note that the
bottom of the blue pen marks
match the movement of the
green pen.
• This indicates that the two pens
may be getting caught on each
other. The solution would be to
check that the pens have been
inserted fully – they may need to
be pushed in further.
Flow Conditions
Damping screw needs
adjustment
• This chart has sections where the
diff pen is moving up and down
rapidly resulting in thicker blue
lines in some parts of the chart.
• The damping screw was wound
out too far ( 2 and half turns )
and was too sensitive on the blue
pen.
• To fix this problem, adjust the
damping screw as shown in Slide
# 14 (“Bleed & check zero”).
Flow Conditions

Movement in Differential pen

• This chart shows a lot of movement
by the Differential pen.
• The chart is on a separator that has
an inlet control valve to handle slugs
of liquid. The differential pen shows
the erratic flow due to inlet liquid
slugging and causing the flow to be
choked back until the liquid can be
dumped from the separator.
• There isn’t much you can do to
correct this chart unless you can
reduce the amount of liquid coming
into the separator.
Flow range

• Try to keep the diff

above 20% on the
chart.
• If the diff is consistently
reading below 20%:
 Put in a smaller orifice
plate if possible (discuss
Beta Ratio with Foreman)
or
 Change the Diff range
(Need instrument
technician)
Care of Orifice Plates

• Any damage to an orifice plate can have a

large effect on the accuracy of the metering.
• Orifice plates must be stored correctly.
• Do not use orifice plates that are bowed,
warped or have nicks on the inner orifice.