High-pressure calibration of Baltic Pipe metering lines ensures accurate custody transfer

Baltic Pipe, an approx. 900 km long gas pipeline that will provide Denmark and Poland with a direct access to Norway’s gas fields is currently being established. The new pipeline is expected to expand the gas transmission capacity by up to 10 billion cubic metres of gas per year. Baltic Pipe also supports the shift from coal to natural gas in Poland, which ensures a greener form of energy and a large reduction in CO₂ emissions. 

Emerson needed verification of their meters for accurate custody transfer

Once in operation, gas accounts between the countries involved need to be settled in the most accurate way possible. To ensure this, meters from Emerson were acquired to help ensure an accurate custody transfer. Before entering into operation in the gas pipeline, an initial calibration of the meters was necessary.

FORCE Technology calibrated the 4 metering lines from Emerson at the high-pressure calibration facility, which is the largest closed loop in the world. The complete metering skid with metering line from Emerson weighs 17 tons and is 14 meters long. It was calibrated equivalent to the upcoming operation conditions on-site.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic not all stakeholders were able to witness the calibration live at the FORCE Technology facility. Instead, remote witnessing from partners like GASSCO Norway and Norwegian Petroleum Company became an appropriate substitute.

All the metering lines passed, providing Emerson with a verification of the technical specifications of their meters.

“We are a proud partner of the Baltic pipe project and as a key supplier contribute to improve the European gas network. It was definitely a challenge to bring all parties together, the successful calibration at FORCE Technology shows the great teamwork and effort going into this project and this is a huge achievement for everyone involved. Thanks to all Subject Matter Experts throughout the design and execution phase, and the smooth collaboration between FORCE Technology and Emerson we could complete the calibration and on-time delivery of all metering lines without any major issues”, says Hanno Zandee, Senior Project Manager at Emerson Automation Solutions.

“We are happy to be an impartial partner in the Baltic Pipe and through technological transformations contribute to the long-term development of society and reduction of CO₂ emissions. Furthermore, we are proud that our unique high-pressure calibration facility and highly skilled staff have left a significant mark on the project by calibrating the meters at future working conditions which is an important prerequisite for accurate custody transfer”, says Thomas Boy Jacobsen, Operations Chief at FORCE Technology Gas Flow.