(a) Applicability. This section specifies the minimum requirements for conducting volumetric meter proving for all FMP meters.

(b) Meter prover. Acceptable provers are positive displacement master meters, Coriolis master meters, and displacement provers. The operator must ensure that the meter prover used to determine the meter factor has a valid certificate of calibration on site and available for review by the AO. The certificate must show that the prover, identified by serial number assigned to and inscribed on the prover, was calibrated as follows:

(1) Master meters must have a meter factor within 0.9900 to 1.0100 determined by a minimum of five consecutive prover runs within 0.0005 (0.05 percent repeatability) as described in API 4.5, Subsection 6.5 (incorporated by reference, see §3174.3). The master meter must not be mechanically compensated for oil gravity or temperature; its readout must indicate units of volume without corrections. The meter factor must be documented on the calibration certificate and must be calibrated at least once every 12 months. New master meters must be calibrated immediately and recalibrated in three months. Master meters that have undergone mechanical repairs, alterations, or changes that affect the calibration must be calibrated immediately upon completion of this work and calibrated again 3 months after this date under API 4.5, API 4.8, Subsection 10.2, and API 4.8, Annex B (all incorporated by reference, see §3174.3).

(2) Displacement provers must meet the requirements of API 4.2 (incorporated by reference, see §3174.3) and be calibrated using the water-draw method under API 4.9.2 (incorporated by reference, see §3174.3), at the calibration frequencies specified in API 4.8, Subsection 10.1(b) (incorporated by reference, see §3174.3).

(3) The base prover volume of a displacement prover must be calculated under API 12.2.4 (incorporated by reference, see §3174.3).

(4) Displacement provers must be sized to obtain a displacer velocity through the prover that is within the appropriate range during proving under API 4.2, Subsection 4.3.4.2, Minimum Displacer Velocities and API 4.2, Subsection 4.3.4.1, Maximum Displacer Velocities (incorporated by reference, see §3174.3).

(5) Fluid velocity is calculated using API 4.2, Subsection 4.3.4.3, Equation 12 (incorporated by reference, see §3174.3).

(c) Meter proving runs. Meter proving must follow the applicable section(s) of API 4.1, Proving Systems (incorporated by reference, see §3174.3).

(1) Meter proving must be performed under normal operating fluid pressure, fluid temperature, and fluid type and composition, as follows:

(i) The oil flow rate through the LACT or CMS during proving must be within 10 percent of the normal flow rate;

(ii) The absolute pressure as measured by the LACT or CMS during proving must be within 10 percent of the normal operating absolute pressure;

(iii) The temperature as measured by the LACT or CMS during the proving must be within 10 °F of the normal operating temperature; and

(iv) The gravity of the oil during proving must be within 5° API of the normal oil gravity.

(v) If the normal flow rate, pressure, temperature, or oil gravity vary by more than the limits defined in paragraphs (c)(i) through (c)(iv) of this section, meter provings must be conducted, at a minimum, under the three following conditions: At the lower limit of normal operating conditions, at the upper limit of normal operation conditions, and at the midpoint of normal operating conditions.

(2) If each proving run is not of sufficient volume to generate at least 10,000 pulses, as specified by API 4.2, Subsection 4.3.2 (incorporated by reference, see §3174.3), from the positive displacement meter or the Coriolis meter, then pulse interpolation must be used in accordance with API 4.6 (incorporated by reference, see §3174.3).

(3) Proving runs must be made until the calculated meter factor or meter generated pulses from five consecutive runs match within a tolerance of 0.0005 (0.05 percent) between the highest and the lowest value in accordance with API 12.2.3, Subsection 9 (incorporated by reference, see §3174.3).

(4) The new meter factor is the arithmetic average of the meter generated pulses or intermediate meter factors calculated from the five consecutive runs in accordance with API 12.2.3, Subsection 9 (incorporated by reference, see §3174.3).

(5) Meter factor computations must follow the sequence described in API 12.2.3 (incorporated by reference, see §3174.3).

(6) If multiple meters factors are determined over a range of normal operating conditions, then:

(i) If all the meter factors determined over a range of conditions fall within 0.0020 of each other, then a single meter factor may be calculated for that range as the arithmetic average of all the meter factors within that range. The full range of normal operating conditions may be divided into segments such that all the meter factors within each segment fall within a range of 0.0020. In this case, a single meter factor for each segment may be calculated as the arithmetic average of the meter factors within that segment; or

(ii) The metering system may apply a dynamic meter factor derived (using, e.g., linear interpolation, polynomial fit, etc.) from the series of meter factors determined over the range of normal operating conditions, so long as no two neighboring meter factors differ by more than 0.0020.

(7) The meter factor must be at least 0.9900 and no more than 1.0100.

(8) The initial meter factor for a new or repaired meter must be at least 0.9950 and no more than 1.0050.

(9) For positive displacement meters, the back pressure valve may be adjusted after proving only within the normal operating fluid flow rate and fluid pressure as described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section. If the back pressure valve is adjusted after proving, the operator must document the as left fluid flow rate and fluid pressure on the proving report.

(10) If a composite meter factor is calculated, the CPL value must be calculated from the pressure setting of the back pressure valve or the normal operating pressure at the meter. Composite meter factors must not be used with a Coriolis meter.

(d) Minimum proving frequency. The operator must prove any FMP meter before removal or sales of production after any of the following events:

(1) Initial meter installation;

(2) Every 3 months (quarterly) after the last proving, or each time the registered volume flowing through the meter, as measured on the non-resettable totalizer from the last proving, increases by 75,000 bbl, whichever comes first, but no more frequently than monthly;

(3) Meter zeroing (Coriolis meter);

(4) Modification of mounting conditions;

(5) A change in fluid temperature that exceeds the transducer's calibrated span;

(6) A change in pressure, density, or flow rate that exceeds the operating proving limits;

(7) The mechanical or electrical components of the meter have been changed, repaired, or removed;

(8) Internal calibration factors have been changed or reprogrammed; or

(9) At the request of the AO.

(e) Excessive meter factor deviation.

(1) If the difference between meter factors established in two successive provings exceeds ±0.0025, the meter must be immediately removed from service, checked for damage or wear, adjusted or repaired, and reproved before returning the meter to service.

(2) The arithmetic average of the two successive meter factors must be applied to the production measured through the meter between the date of the previous meter proving and the date of the most recent meter proving.

(3) The proving report submitted under paragraph (i) of this section must clearly show the most recent meter factor and describe all subsequent repairs and adjustments.

(f) Verification of the temperature transducer. As part of each required meter proving and upon replacement, the temperature averager for a LACT system and the temperature transducer used in conjunction with a CMS must be verified against a known standard according to the following:

(1) The temperature averager or temperature transducer must be compared with a test thermometer traceable to NIST and with a stated accuracy of ±0.25 °F or better.

(2) The temperature reading displayed on the temperature averager or temperature transducer must be compared with the reading of the test thermometer using one of the following methods:

(i) The test thermometer must be placed in a test thermometer well located not more than 12″ from the probe of the temperature averager or temperature transducer; or

(ii) Both the test thermometer and probe of the temperature averager or temperature transducer must be placed in an insulated water bath. The water bath temperature must be within 20 °F of the normal flowing temperature of the oil.

(3) The displayed reading of instantaneous temperature from the temperature averager or the temperature transducer must be compared with the reading from the test thermometer. If they differ by more than 0.5 °F, then the difference in temperatures must be noted on the meter proving report and:

(i) The temperature averager or temperature transducer must be adjusted to match the reading of the test thermometer; or

(ii) The temperature averager or temperature transducer must be recalibrated, repaired, or replaced.

(g) Verification of the pressure transducer (if applicable).

(1) As part of each required meter proving and upon replacement, the pressure transducer must be compared with a test pressure device (dead weight or pressure gauge) traceable to NIST and with a stated maximum uncertainty of no more than one-half of the accuracy required from the transducer being verified.

(2) The pressure reading displayed on the pressure transducer must be compared with the reading of the test pressure device.

(3) The pressure transducer must be tested at the following three points:

(i) Zero (atmospheric pressure);

(ii) 100 percent of the calibrated span of the pressure transducer; and

(iii) A point that represents the normal flowing pressure through the Coriolis meter.

(4) If the pressure applied by the test pressure device and the pressure displayed on the pressure transducer vary by more than the required accuracy of the pressure transducer, the pressure transducer must be adjusted to read within the stated accuracy of the test pressure device.

(h) Density verification (if applicable). As part of each required meter proving, if the API gravity of oil is determined from the average density measured by the Coriolis meter (rather than from a composite sample), then during each proving of the Coriolis meter, the instantaneous flowing density determined by the Coriolis meter must be verified by comparing it with an independent density measurement as specified under API 5.6, Subsection 9.1.2.1 (incorporated by reference, see §3174.3). The difference between the indicated density determined from the Coriolis meter and the independently determined density must be within the specified density reference accuracy specification of the Coriolis meter. Sampling must be performed in accordance with API 8.1, API 8.2, or API 8.3 (incorporated by reference, see §3174.3), as appropriate.

(i) Meter proving reporting requirements.

(1) The operator must report to the AO all meter-proving and volume adjustments after any LACT system or CMS malfunction, including excessive meter-factor deviation, using the appropriate form in either API 12.2.3 or API 5.6 (both incorporated by reference, see §3174.3), or any similar format showing the same information as the API form, provided that the calculation of meter factors maintains the proper calculation sequence and rounding.

(2) In addition to the information required under paragraph (i)(1) of this section, each meter-proving report must also show the:

(i) Unique meter ID number;

(ii) Lease number, CA number, or unit PA number;

(iii) The temperature from the test thermometer and the temperature from the temperature averager or temperature transducer;

(iv) For pressure transducers, the pressure applied by the pressure test device and the pressure reading from the pressure transducer at the three points required under paragraph (g)(3) of this section;

(v) For density verification (if applicable), the instantaneous flowing density (as determined by Coriolis meter), and the independent density measurement, as compared under paragraph (h) of this section; and

(vi) The “as left” fluid flow rate and fluid pressure, if the back pressure valve is adjusted after proving as described in paragraph (c)(9) of this section.

(3) The operator must submit the meter-proving report to the AO no later than 14 days after the meter proving. The proving report may be either in a hard copy or electronic format.