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Explaining Butterfly valve

HOW TO CHANGE PLATES IN DANIEL SENIOR OR***CE METERS.

Changing an or***ce plate in a Daniel Senior Or***ce Meter is a specialized task because it allows you to remove the plate without shutting down the pipeline flow.

It so happens that this particular task is one of the most feared tasks in surface well testing as gory tales of operators split in twos by flying or***ce plates ejected forcefully during or***ce plate swapping or inspection.

Below is a breakdown of the operation using the dual-chamber design.

The Dual-Chamber Mechanism
The fitting is divided into a lower 👇🏾chamber (where the gas flows) and an ☝🏾upper chamber (the maintenance area).
They are separated by a slide valve.

✅ Phase 1: Moving the Plate Up

* Step 1: Equalize Pressure. Open the Equalizer Valve. This allows high-pressure gas from the pipeline into the upper chamber so the pressures match.

* Step 2: Open Slide Valve. Once pressure is equal, turn the Slide Valve Shaft to open the internal gate.

* Step 3: Crank the Plate. Use the operating wrench on the Lower Gear Shaft, then the Upper Gear Shaft, to "scroll" the plate carrier from the bottom chamber to the top.

✅ Phase 2: Isolation and Extraction

* Step 4: Close Slide Valve. Once the plate is safely in the upper chamber, close the Slide Valve to seal off the pipeline pressure.

* Step 5: Bleed Pressure. Close the equalizer valve and slowly open the Bleeder (Vent) Valve to release the gas trapped in the upper chamber. Wait until the gauge reads zero.

* Step 6: Open the Top. Loosen the Clamping Bar Screws, remove the bar and the Sealing Bar, and crank the plate out for replacement.

Do the reverse ◀️ to return inspected or changed plate with an exception. At the last step the slider is closed, equalizer valve is closed and then bleeder valve is opened to depressurize upper chamber.👍🏾

⚠️ NOTE:

🚧 Equalizer Valve is opened first to balance pressure before moving parts.

🚧 Bleeder Valve opened last to safely vent the top chamber for opening.

🚧 Grease Gun injects sealant to ensure the slide valve seals perfectly.

***cemeter

Here are two key uses of "surge tanks" (also called vertical surge tanks or VSTs) in surface well testing operations in the oil and gas industry. These are the most commonly highlighted functions in standard well test packages:

1. Temporary storage of liquid hydrocarbons after separation
Surge tanks act as a pressurized storage vessel (typically H₂S-rated) to hold the separated liquid (oil/condensate) coming from the test separator. This provides buffer capacity during flowback or testing, especially when disposal or transfer rates are limited, allowing continuous well flow without immediate flaring or trucking of liquids.

2. Accurate measurement of liquid flow rates (and calibration/shrinkage correction)
By monitoring the volume accumulation over time (using sight glasses, level indicators, or compartments), surge tanks enable precise measurement of low or variable liquid rates. They are also used to determine the combined shrinkage and meter factor, helping calibrate the primary separator's liquid meters for more reliable production data.

These two functions make surge tanks essential for safe, accurate, and efficient well testing — especially in H₂S environments where open gauge tanks can't be used.

Essential for accurate data & safe operations!

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