Abstract: A method and system of validating data regarding measured hydrocarbon flow. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are systems comprising a flow computer coupled to a metering tube and configured to measure fluid flow through the metering tube, and a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system coupled to the flow computer. The SCADA system is configured to perform a validation on data provided by the flow computer regarding fluid flow. The flow computer is configured to perform the validation on the data regarding fluid flow, and the if the validation is successfully completed by the flow computer, the SCADA system refrains from performing the validation.

Abstract: A method and ultrasonic meter system for determining pipe roughness. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are ultrasonic meters comprising a spool piece that couples within a flow of fluids, and a first transducer pair mechanically mounted to the spool piece and acoustically coupled to the flow of fluids (wherein the first transducer pair comprises an upstream transducer and a downstream transducer in operational relationship to the upstream transducer and defines a first chord there between). The ultrasonic meter is configured to determine diagnostic data based on acoustic signals transmitted between the first transducer pair (wherein the diagnostic data comprises an asymmetry of the flow of fluids in the spool piece, a cross flow of the flow of fluids in the spool piece, and a profile factor of the flow of fluids in the spool piece).

Abstract: A transducer assembly for an ultrasonic fluid meter. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are transducer assemblies comprising an elongated outer housing defining an interior and an exterior, the elongated outer housing having an axis along its elongated direction, a piezoelectric element coupled to and at least partially occluding a first end of the elongated outer housing, a pin holder coupled to and at least partially occluding a second end of the elongated outer housing, the pin holder comprising a first electrical pin, and a first wire coupling the first electrical pin to the piezoelectric element (wherein the first wire runs through the interior of the elongated outer housing).

Abstract: A method and related system of message prioritization in a control system. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising receiving a first packet-based message from a first software package across a high bandwidth channel (the first packet-based message directed to a first software port), receiving a second packet-based message from a second software package across the high bandwidth channel (the second packet-based message directed to a second software port), selecting the first packet-based message based on the first packet-based message being directed to the first software port, forwarding the first packet-based message across a low bandwidth channel (the bandwidth channel of the high bandwidth channel higher than the bandwidth of the low bandwidth channel), and then forwarding the second packet-based message across the low bandwidth channel.

Abstract: A method and system of determining orifice plate parameters. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising installing an orifice plate in a metering tube, and reading parameters of the orifice plate by a flow computer. In some embodiments, the orifice plate comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, and a flow computer responsible for calculating flow rate and volume reads the RFID tag to determine parameters of the orifice plate, such as aperture diameter.

Abstract: Method and system of diagnosing production changes. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are systems comprising a plurality of devices configured to measure production parameters associated with a hydrocarbon producing well, and a processor proximate to a wellhead of the hydrocarbon producing well and electrically coupled to the plurality of devices. The processor is configured to diagnose a cause of a change of a production parameter.

Abstract: A transducer assembly for an ultrasonic fluid meter. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are transducer assemblies comprising an elongated outer housing defining an interior and an exterior, the elongated outer housing having an axis along its elongated direction, a piezoelectric element coupled to and at least partially occluding a first end of the elongated outer housing, a pin holder coupled to and at least partially occluding a second end of the elongated outer housing, the pin holder comprising a first electrical pin, and a first wire coupling the first electrical pin to the piezoelectric element (wherein the first wire runs through the interior of the elongated outer housing).

Abstract: A method and related system of a method and system of field device protocol masking. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising receiving a message in a first protocol format from a field device of a control system, modifying the message to create a modified message (the modified message in a second protocol format), and forwarding the modified message to an upstream device that communicates using the second protocol.

Abstract: A method and system for generating an uncertainty value. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are systems comprising a device in fluid communication with a conduit (wherein the device is configured to collect parametric data regarding fluid flow through a conduit, and wherein the device is configured to generate an accuracy value of the parametric data), and a flow computer electrically coupled to the device (wherein the flow computer is configured to receive the parametric data and the accuracy value from the device). The flow computer is configured to generate a flow value based on the parametric data, and the flow computer is configured to generate an uncertainty value of the flow value based on the parametric data and on the accuracy value received from the device.

Abstract: A method and system for driver configuration for an ultrasonic meter. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are ultrasonic meters comprising a spool piece that couples within a flow of fluids, a first upstream transducer mechanically coupled to the spool piece, a first downstream transducer mechanically coupled to the spool piece (the first downstream transducer in operational relationship to the first upstream transducer), and a first transducer driver that selectively couples to the first upstream and first downstream transducers. The transducer driver drives the first upstream transducer, and also drives the first downstream transducer.

Abstract: A meter proving method and system. At lease some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising establishing a prover time by a prover device, measuring a flow rate of a fluid with a flow meter that uses multiple measurements taken over a period of time to produce each individual flow rate value (the flow meter electrically coupled to the prover device), and generating a meter volume over the prover time based on the flow rate. The generating the meter volume based on the flow rate does not involve: generating a pulse train output signal by the flow meter; and generating the meter volume based on an attribute of the pulse train.

Abstract: A method and system for driver configuration for an ultrasonic meter. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are ultrasonic meters comprising a spool piece that couples within a flow of fluids, a first upstream transducer mechanically coupled to the spool piece, a first downstream transducer mechanically coupled to the spool piece (the first downstream transducer in operational relationship to the first upstream transducer), and a first transducer driver that selectively couples to the first upstream and first downstream transducers. The transducer driver drives the first upstream transducer, and also drives the first downstream transducer.

Abstract: A transducer assembly for an ultrasonic fluid meter. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are transducer assemblies comprising an elongated outer housing defining an interior and an exterior, the elongated outer housing having an axis along its elongated direction, a piezoelectric element coupled to and at least partially occluding a first end of the elongated outer housing, a pin holder coupled to and at least partially occluding a second end of the elongated outer housing, the pin holder comprising a first electrical pin, and a first wire coupling the first electrical pin to the piezoelectric element (wherein the first wire runs through the interior of the elongated outer housing).

Abstract: A transducer housing for an ultrasonic fluid meter. At least some of the illustrative embodiments a transducer housing comprising a housing having a proximal end, a distal end and an internal volume, the housing couples to a spoolpiece of an ultrasonic meter, and an acoustic matching layer that fluidly seals the distal end from the internal volume (wherein the housing accepts a piezoelectric element within the internal volume and proximate to the acoustic matching layer). The acoustic matching layer has an acoustic impedance between that of the piezoelectric element and a fluid within the ultrasonic meter.

Abstract: Methods and related systems for determining transducer delay time and transducer separation in ultrasonic flow meters. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are a method comprising measuring a delay time for a first transducer pair, measuring a total measured time for ultrasonic signals transmitted between a second transducer pair in an ultrasonic meter in which both the first and second transducer pairs are installed, calculating a parameter associated with the second transducer pair using the delay time of the first transducer pair and the total measured time for said second transducer pair.

Abstract: A method and ultrasonic meter system for determining pipe roughness. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are ultrasonic meters comprising a spool piece that couples within a flow of fluids, and a first transducer pair mechanically mounted to the spool piece and acoustically coupled to the flow of fluids (wherein the first transducer pair comprises an upstream transducer and a downstream transducer in operational relationship to the upstream transducer and defines a first chord there between). The ultrasonic meter is configured to determine diagnostic data based on acoustic signals transmitted between the first transducer pair (wherein the diagnostic data comprises an asynmmetry of the flow of fluids in the spool piece, a cross flow of the flow of fluids in the spool piece, and a profile factor of the flow of fluids in the spool piece).

Abstract: Determining a hierarchical structure, possibly for delivery to an asset management system. Some exemplary embodiments may be a method comprising receiving a message originated by a data acquisition system and destined for a remote process controller (the receiving by a message router), using content of the message to determine a hierarchical structure of a system between the data acquisition system and the remote process controller, forwarding the message by the message router, and passing information related to the hierarchical structure to an asset management system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for communicating data from field devices to data acquisition systems. In at least some exemplary embodiments, a remote process or field controller may obtain data, and send the data to a data cache only if the data has changed from previously sent data. The data acquisition system may poll the data cache for data. Having the remote process controller send only data that has changed allows the communication channel between the data caching system and the remote process controller to have a bandwidth or throughput lower than what may be needed to support the polling of the data acquisition system.

Abstract: The specification discloses a method of maintaining a historical database of information. The method describes up to eleven segments, each segment corresponding possibly to a different data logging rate in the historical database. Points, whether measured or calculated parameters, are grouped into segments based on which points may have their data logged at the same frequency. The points, in turn, contain pointers to logs, with entries in the log data corresponding to a time-stamp or tag of the segment to which the log belongs. Thus, points (and their corresponding logs) in different segments may be logged at different rates. The specification also discloses a method for dynamically resizing the historical database.

Abstract: The specification discloses a method of maintaining a historical database of information. The method describes up to eleven segments, each segment corresponding possibly to a different data logging rate in the historical database. Points, whether measured or calculated parameters, are grouped into segments based on which points may have their data logged at the same frequency. The points, in turn, contain pointers to logs, with entries in the log data corresponding to a time-stamp or tag of the segment to which the log belongs. Thus, points (and their corresponding logs) in different segments may be logged at different rates. The specification also discloses a method for dynamically resizing the historical database.