Industry

Oil & Gas / Refining / Petrochemical / Offshore & Onshore Processing

Challenge

Flare gas systems are critical safety and environmental compliance components in oil and gas operations. The customer faced persistent challenges in:

• High uncertainty in flare gas flow measurement during process upsets
• Over-reporting of greenhouse gas emissions impacting regulatory compliance (Tier 3)
• Limited visibility of real-time process data in hazardous (ATEX Zone 1 / Class I Div 1) areas
• Inability to service or calibrate meters without interrupting operations
• Difficulty monitoring multiple flare systems from a single interface

Accurate, reliable, and safe access to flare gas data was essential to protect personnel, assets, and the environment while maintaining compliance and operational efficiency.

Solution

The customer deployed the Aegex™ Intrinsically Safe Tablet (ATEX Zone 1 / Class I Div 1) as a hazardous-area-approved interface integrated with the FlareMaster Software and Enhanced Density Module (EDM).

This solution enabled real-time, high-accuracy monitoring and optimization of ultrasonic flare gas meters across multiple flare systems without requiring plant shutdowns.

Key Components:

• Aegex™ Intrinsically Safe Windows Tablet (Hazardous Area Certified)
• FlareMaster DataFlow Application
• FlareMaster Enhanced Density Module (EDM)
• Existing Ultrasonic Flare Gas Meters (Meter-Agnostic Integration)

Implementation

• The FlareMaster DataFlow application was installed on the Aegex tablet for on-site visualization and control in hazardous areas.
• EDM modules were connected to provide full, dynamic gas density inputs to the flare gas meters.
• Multiple flare systems were networked for parallel monitoring and remote interrogation.
• Custom dashboards and alarm thresholds were configured for key process parameters.

The system was commissioned without interrupting live process operations, ensuring continuous measurement and safety compliance.

Features & Capabilities

• Real-Time Process Visibility
  • Mass and standard volume flow
  • Totalized flow
  • Flow velocity
  • Process temperature and pressure
  • Historical and calculated data records

• Operational Advantages
  • Reliable and repeatable measurement during severe process upsets
  • Dual redundancy of measurement
  • Remote alarm configuration
  • Customizable trend graphs
  • Live installation without shutdown
  • Primary meter servicing without loss of measurement
  • Flow calibration curve and linearization functions

• Technical Range
  • Meter Compatibility: Any ultrasonic flare gas meter
  • Pipe Sizes: 2″ to 82″
  • Operating Temperature: -100°C to 350°C

Results

• 5% Improvement in Measurement Accuracy
  Significantly reduced uncertainty in flare gas flow measurement, improving the quality of reported emissions data.
• Regulatory Compliance (Tier 3 Support)
  Prevented over-reporting of greenhouse gas emissions, ensuring alignment with environmental reporting standards.
• Enhanced Safety in Hazardous Areas
  Operators safely accessed real-time flare data directly in ATEX Zone 1 / Class I Div 1 environments using the intrinsically safe tablet.
• Operational Efficiency
  Enabled continuous monitoring, remote diagnostics, and servicing without process shutdowns, minimizing downtime.
• Multi-System Visibility
  Parallel monitoring of multiple flare systems improved plant-wide situational awareness and faster response to anomalies.

Customer Impact

By combining the Aegex™ Intrinsically Safe Tablet with the FlareMaster platform, the customer transformed flare gas monitoring into a high-accuracy, compliance-driven, and safety-first operation. The solution delivered improved emissions reporting, enhanced process control during upsets, and real-time visibility in hazardous areas—strengthening both environmental stewardship and operational reliability.

Intrinsically safe mobility meets intelligent flare gas measurement for safer, smarter, and more compliant operations.