Why is accurate gas measurement critical?
Natural gas is billed in dekatherms which are calculated by multiplying the dry British Thermal Unit (BTU) value of the gas by the volume in standard cubic feet. Many things go into the determination of these values. As the price of a dekatherm continues to go up, any error means more and more dollars are at stake. Litigation is becoming more common as companies disagree about the about of gas received and delivered. Obviously, not all the uncertainty and error in measuring and accounting of gas can be eliminated, but it’s critical to do everything possible to reduce it. On the operational side, many systems are controlled by volumetric flow rates to meet nominated volumes. Inaccuracies make it more difficult to ensure the contracted amount of gas has been received, transported and/or delivered. Bottom line, inaccurate gas measurement costs money, big time!
