In our last blog post, we all got on the same page. Now here is an updated list of the most commonly referenced publications you need to know about for natural gas measurement in the United States.
AGA Report No. 3 – Orifice Metering of Natural Gas and Other Related Hydrocarbon Fluids (updated to add “Concentric, Square-edged Orifice Meters” effective with Part 3) – in four parts:
- Part 1: General Equations and Uncertainty Guidelines (September 2012)
- Part 2: Specification and Installation Requirements (January 2000)
- Part 3: Natural Gas Applications (November 2013)
- Part 4: Background Development Implementation Procedure (January 1992)
AGA Report No. 5 – Natural Gas Energy Measurement (March 2009)
AGA Report No. 6 – Field Proving of Gas Meters Using Transfer Methods (2013)
AGA Report No. 7 – Measurement of Natural Gas by Turbine Meter (January 2006)
AGA Report No. 8 – Compressibility Factors of Natural Gas and Other Related Hydrocarbon Gases (January 1994). Same as API 14.2.
AGA Report No. 9 – Measurement of Gas by Ultrasonic Multipath Meters (April 2007)
AGA Report No. 10 – Speed of Sound in Natural Gas and Other Related Hydrocarbon Gases (January 2003)
AGA Report No. 11 – Measurement of Natural Gas by Coriolis Meter (February 2013). Same as API 14.9.
What are AGA1, AGA2, and AGA12?
AGA1 and AGA2 were predecessors to AGA3. AGA3 is the current report in use for orifice meter measurement. In the early days of AGA’s research into orifice metering, revisions to the reports incremented the report number. In 1924, the Gas Measurement Committee, a subcommittee in the Natural Gas Association, was established to determine standards for orifice metering. Their first report was issued in 1930. Report number 2 was issued in 1935 and report number 3 was issued in 1955.
The AGA subsequently modified the report numbering structure with number 3 dedicated to orifice metering. A very interesting history is described further in AGA Report No. 3.
AGA Report No. 12, Cryptographic Protection of SCADA Communications (2006), was driven primarily by Bill Rush of the Gas Technology Institute. It was the only AGA report that dealt with a non-metering or measurement-related topic. It was later transferred to IEEE P1711, Standard for a Cryptographic Protocol for Cyber Security of Substation Serial Links, which continues as an active project.
Upstream Composition Analysis and Sampling: API MPMS Chapter 14 and GPA Standards
Experience with unconventional production such as in shale fields has made upstream practices related to compositional analysis and sampling very critical. Measurement professionals must reference a number of GPA publications, many of which are common with sections in API MPMS Chapter 14, as listed below.
API MPMS Chapter 14 Natural Gas Fluids Measurement
- API 14.1 Collecting and Handling of Natural Gas Samples for Custody Transfer (2006)
- API 14.4 Converting Mass of Natural Gas Liquids and Vapors to Equivalent Liquid Volumes (1991); same as GPA 8173-94 – Note: an update is currently under ballot
- API 14.5 Calculation of Gross Heating Value, Relative Density, Compressibility and Theoretical Hydrocarbon Liquid Content for Natural Gas Mixtures for Custody Transfer (2009); same as GPA 2172-09
Gas Processors Association Standards
- GPA 2145-09 Table of Physical Constants for Hydrocarbons and Other Compounds of Interest to the Natural Gas Industry
- GPA 2166-05 Obtaining Natural Gas Samples for Analysis by Gas Chromatography
- GPA 2172-96 Same as API MPMS Chapter 14.5
- GPA 2198-03 Selection, Preparation, Validation, Care and Storage of Natural Gas and Natural Gas Liquids Reference Standard Blends
- GPA 2261-13 Analysis for Natural Gas and Similar Gaseous Mixtures by Gas Chromatography
- GPA 8173-94 Same as API MPMS Chapter 14.4
If you have questions about the latest reports and standards, contact our FLOWCAL by Quorum Software measurement specialists and we’ll help you with what you need to know.
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