This paper discusses the merits of merging SCADA1 and gas measurement from a technical and economical perspective. Because traditional SCADA is largely limited to control room data used only for day to day operational purposes, the real-time metering data is not often utilized in the external revenue-generation business systems of the organization. In many cases, entirely separate measurement systems are utilized in isolation which often have few, if any, ties to the SCADA system which is capable of collecting pertinent measurement information.
Measurement data validation provides automatic data validation of flow measurement data upon retrieval from telemetered or non-telemetered data sources. Row measurement data can be supplied from field devices such as electronic flow computers or from other sources of flow measurement data such as manual operator entry, third party collection systems, chart integration sources, etc.
Flow measurement data undergoes a series of automated validation tests including single-run limit checking, meter run comparisons (at a given metering station) and historical validation tests (such as searching for frozen values). The outcome of these tests determines the data quality code assigned to each flow measurement reading (indicating the results of validation tests).
When combined with a real-time processing and data acquisition engine in a SCADA system that is capable of communicating with field devices via leased lines, VSAT, radio, dial-up, etc., many benefits can be realized.
