6 Ways Oil & Gas Industries Can Improve the Accuracy of Sampling

Sampling in oil and gas industries is crucial to ensure the overall quality. Sampling is basically taking a sample of the product and testing its quality which further decides the overall quality of the product. The process remains the same for any industry - be it gas and crude oil or any other.

Now, when we talk of sampling, accuracy comes into the picture. If multiple samples of a product are of good quality, these results can help to derive the overall quality of the product. And the overall quality of the product is likely to be good if its cumulative samples are of good quality.

There could be several factors wherein a sample may give inaccurate results. Engineers might face challenges from time to time since some might get exposed to harmful chemicals during the sampling process. Plus, there could be budget constraints too. This may lead to unreliable results and eventually lead to inaccurate sample analysis.

A sampling method with the right instrument will give you accurate results. Let us look at six ways to have accurate sampling results:

Focus on ease of refinery operators or engineers

You want to minimize quality assurance concerns, right? To do so, you need to make the sampling process easier for engineers. Using an autosampler instead of an inline sampler is one way to do so. Since the process is automated, the scope of making errors reduces and the process becomes easier.

If an operator or the engineer finds the sampling process simple, the chances of inaccuracy decrease. Plus, autosamplers automate the process minimizing human intervention which further decreases the chances of inaccuracy.

Focus on the safety of operators

Refinery operators or engineers get exposed to dangerous gases and chemicals on a daily basis. This requires you to provide them with safety. To do so, you need to use a low-emission sampler. Using these types of samplers ensures the safety of the operators which helps them take more accurate readings.

After all, if an employee feels safer while measuring the readings, there will be no scope for making mistakes.

Focus on specification standards

It is important to see that while sampling, products are not contaminated. If you are sampling using a cell sampler or an autosampler, ensure the specification standards of the product to overall keep the accuracy in check.

Check for basic system errors

Reversed check valves could block your sample flow or a loop could flow backward - these are some reasons for sampling inaccuracy. This means you need to audit your sample system at regular intervals to avoid these simple mistakes and ensure the accuracy of the results.

Maintain the sample flow

The right flow, pressure, and temperature are the most important factors to bring the fluid to an appropriate condition to analyze. If you have these three things under control, other problems could be eliminated easily. Usually, a faster flow is recommended as it ensures good sample mixing, quick response time, and clean sample lines.

Identify sources of time delay

The total time the fluid takes to travel from the tap to the analyzer is called time delay. If delayed for too long, it can negatively influence sample accuracy. Some symptoms of the issue can include a few measurements that do not align with your process, laboratory disagreement, and lack of scheme performance.

Conclusion

You now know why the accuracy of the sampling results matters since getting accurate results is important to ensure the overall quality of the product. Hence, consider using the tips mentioned in the blog and see how it improves the accuracy of the results for yourself.