The Ultrasonic Meter (flow meter) on the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah has been successfully installed by a team of engineers of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and Tullow Ghana, one of the operators of the Jubilee Field. The calibrated flow meter was installed at the weekend with the assurance to the public that the new measurement and other systems in place on the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah were accurate and reliable. The new flow meter, according to officials is multi-purposeand can accumulate data on how much oil is exported through it right from the first day of its installation.

In a statement, Mr Victor Kofi Sunu-Atta, Chief Petroleum Engineer of GNPC, said before the installation, the quantities of crude oil in the FPSO storage tanks and in the export tanks were measured using calibrated and portable electronic gauging tape in the FPSO storage tanks before and after transfer of crude oil to export tankers.

These measurements, together with production volumes measured by metering devices located on each producing well and other parts of the production process, help to confirm the export quantities. Mr. Sunu-Atta said several measurements were taken per day, using the electronic gauging tapes, to determine the amount of crude oil in the storage tanks of the FPSO prior to lifting activities. ‘This represents a comprehensive system that enables the use of separate yet accurate metering procedures that guarantee accurate measurements, even when any part of the measurement system fails, he said’

He said volumetric measurements so far recorded during all past unloading between the FPSO and export tankers were all within the internationally accepted limit. ‘It needs to be emphasised that these procedures are industry standards for metering facilities and stock tank measurements, he added’. Mr. Sunu-Atta said Tullow Ghana and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) had agreed that two representatives from the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) division of the GRA, were always on board for the export operation.

"That aside, officials of CEPS control the "Locks" that have to be removed to "Open the Export Facility Valves" and also witness the various measurement activities and quality control tests, and finally sign off the certificate of origin and the cargo manifest that summarizes the Export Operation Quantity and Quality items," he said.

He said given the comprehensiveness of the measurement systems currently in place, Ghanaians could be assured that Ghana's revenue from the Jubilee Field was secure. To ensure accuracy in reporting, two inde¬pendent surveyors provide third party verification of the crude oil export operation covering quantity and quality and endorse the Bill of Lading, Mr. Sunu-Atta added.

In addition, Tullow and the Jubilee Partners had engaged the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) on the processes on FPSO Kwame Nkrumah from late 2010.

"Indeed GSB officials were recently received for a working visit on the FPSO to assess processes. GSB' has provided positive feedback and have understood the challenges associated with bringing the export meters back into service. The areas presently being discussed with GSB focus on representation at the Meter Calibrations and development of an audit regime for the GSB on the FPSO export facilities," he added.