Abstract: A fluid density valve monitoring and access system secures the operation of an actuator that opens or closes a valve to a storage vessel, well or pipeline. The fluid density valve monitoring and access system includes a valve, an actuator, a mass flow meter, and a communication device that communicates with the valve actuator, the mass flow meter and an off-site secure website via the internet. The fluid density valve monitoring and access system has a mass flow meter that constantly monitors the fluid density of fluid passing through a valve either into or out of a storage vessel, well or pipeline. The fluid density valve monitoring and access system closes the valve whenever the fluid to be pumped through the valve has a density outside of an acceptable density range that has been programmed into the communication device. The monitoring system also notifies one or more persons whenever the valve is closed because the fluid has as density outside of an acceptable density range.

Abstract: An access and monitoring system that secures the operation of an actuator that opens or closes a valve to a storage vessel. The access and monitoring system has an on-site system having a valve, an actuator, a camera, a control panel with a keypad and signaling device, and a communication control unit that communicates with the valve actuator, the control panel and an off-site information processing unit. The on-site system communicates with the off-site information processing unit through a secure website residing on a server within the information processing unit. The access and monitoring system verifies and records the identity of all valve users that add samples to or remove samples from an on-site storage tank in a historical database.

Abstract: A method of providing access to an oil battery having a valve with a valve handle for permitting oil to flow through a pipe for conveyance to a secondary storage vessel. The method includes the following steps: providing a lock inhibiting the movement of said valve handle; providing a identifier identifying which valve is desired access; providing an operator identification identifying an entity seeking access to said valve; determining if said entity seeking access to said valve is authorized to have access; and unlocking said lock enabling said valve to be opened if it is determined that said entity seeking access to said valve is authorized to have access.

Abstract: A communications apparatus for transmitting various communication signals is described. The communications apparatus contains at least two conductors or fibers where the first conductor or fiber comprises a first color and the second conductor or fiber comprises a second color having a lighter tint of the first color. In an embodiment of the invention, using this scheme of a dark shade of a color for one of the conductors or fibers and a lighter color for the other conductor or fiber, the conductors or fibers can always be identified as a pair even after they have been untwisted (and even when the remaining pairs in the cable become untwisted). The invention does not use bandmarks or stripes in the insulation of the second conductor, thereby avoiding the accompanying limitations associated with bandmarks and stripes.