This installation (2) for following up the evolution of the basicity of a lubricant circulating in a piece of equipment (M) comprises at least one conduit (4) for circulating (F1) the lubricant, this conduit being connected, upstream, to the piece of equipment (M) and the, downstream, to a recovery pan (6) as well as at least one sensor (48) for determining the basicity index of the lubricant. The installation further comprises a first controlled valve (20) for interrupting the circulation (F1) of the lubricant in the conduit (4), a buffer tank (26) for accumulating the lubricant, a first bypass line (28) connected to the conduit (4), upstream from the first valve (20) on the one hand and to the buffer tank (26) on the other hand. The installation also comprises a second controlled valve (32) for interrupting the circulation of the lubricant in the first bypass line (28), a second line (42) for discharging the lubricant, from the buffer tank (26) to the recovery pan (6) and a third controlled valve (44) for interrupting the circulation of the lubricant in the second discharge line (42). The sensor (48) is positioned on the second discharge line (42) and allows determination of the basicity index of the lubricant at the outlet of the buffer tank (26).

Described herein are systems and methods for evaluating and mitigating the wax risks of a given hydrocarbon composition such as crude oil. The disclosed systems and methods enable rapid and ready prediction of wax risks using algorithms based on a small sample of the hydrocarbon composition. The wax risks are predicted using predictive models developed from machine learning. The disclosed systems and methods include mitigation strategies for wax risks that can include chemical additives, operation changes, and/or hydrocarbon blend.

A method for analysing a crude oil to determine the amount of organic acid compounds contained in the crude oil includes extracting the organic acid compounds from a sample of crude oil to form an extract and determining the amount of the extracted organic acids In addition, the method includes dissolving the extract in a polar solvent to form a solution of the extracted organic acid compounds Further, the method includes introducing a sample of the solution of the extracted organic acid to an apparatus including a reversed phase liquid chromatography (LC) column and a mass spectrometer (MS) arranged in series. The reversed phase LC column contains a hydrophobic sorbent and the mobile phase for the LC column includes a polar organic solvent. Still further, the method includes separating the organic acid compounds in the LC column of the LC-MS apparatus and continuously passing the separated organic acid compounds from the LC column to the MS of the LC-MS apparatus to ionize the organic acid compounds and to obtain a chromatogram with mass spectral data over time for the ionized organic acid compounds. Moreover, the method includes determining the area(s) under the peak(s) in an extracted ion chromatogram derived from the mass spectral data assigned to one or more organic acid compounds. The method also includes determining the amount of the organic acid compound(s) in the sample by comparing the area under the peak(s) assigned to the organic acid compound(s) with the area under a peak in an extracted ion chromatogram assigned to a specific amount of a standard organic acid compound. In addition, the method includes extrapolating from the amount of the organic acid compound(s) in the sample to provide the total amount of the organic acid compound(s) in the extract.

A sensing system for detecting degradation of a machine fluid is disclosed. The sensing system may comprise a tag having electrical contacts. The tag may be configured to transmit a wireless signal when the electrical contacts are in electrical communication. The sensing system may further comprise a dissolvable element separating the electrical contacts and obstructing electrical communication between the electrical contacts. The dissolvable element may be configured to dissolve and allow electrical communication between the electrical contacts when an acid content of the machine fluid reaches a level indicative of the degradation of the machine fluid.

A fluid property sensing array includes a first sensor including a first electrode assembly and a first sensing layer at least partially coating the first electrode assembly, the first sensor having a first response to a property of the fluid; and a second sensor including a second electrode assembly and a second sensing layer at least partially coating the second electrode assembly, the second sensor having a second response to the property of the fluid. The array can include a third sensor including a third electrode assembly and a third sensing layer at least partially coating the third electrode assembly, the third sensor having a third response to the property of the fluid. The first sensing layer, the second sensing layer, and the third sensing layer can be compositionally different, such that the first response, the second response, and the third response to the property of the fluid are different.

A device for measuring fluid parameters may be modular or integrally formed. The device is positioned on a machine that includes one or more fluids to be monitored, and the device includes a (1) controller, (2) spacer that connects to a power source and that may include one or more connectors to connect to remote sensors, and (3) an optional manifold through which the fluid may pass. The manifold could include fluid sensors and/or be connectable to a sample bottle for the purpose of taking fluid samples.

Problems relating to metal corrosion in petroleum exploitation plants are monitored by methods, which include the following steps: i. Modifying the petroleum water content ii. Measuring the metal corrosion of metal in contact with the petroleum of step i. iii. Building, by repeating step i and step 2 several times, a database of water content values and values of metal corrosion corresponding to the respective water content values, and iv. Processing the database to determine an optimum value or an optimum range of values of water content (Mw) of the petroleum when metal corrosion shows a minimum value (M.sup.CR).

The present invention pertains to a method of determining a lubrication oil condition of a stationary gas engine comprising the steps of retrieving a lubrication oil temperature information and retrieving a lubrication oil level information from a lubrication oil level sensor, wherein the lubrication oil level sensor is a capacitance sensor, and a step of normalizing a lubrication oil level information over the lubrication oil temperature information.

A sensing system for detecting degradation of a machine fluid is disclosed. The sensing system may comprise a tag having electrical contacts. The tag may be configured to transmit a wireless signal when the electrical contacts are in electrical communication. The sensing system may further comprise a dissolvable element separating the electrical contacts and obstructing electrical communication between the electrical contacts. The dissolvable element may be configured to dissolve and allow electrical communication between the electrical contacts when an acid content of the machine fluid reaches a level indicative of the degradation of the machine fluid.

A sensing system for detecting degradation of a machine fluid is disclosed. The sensing system may comprise a tag having electrical contacts. The tag may be configured to transmit a wireless signal when the electrical contacts are in electrical communication. The sensing system may further comprise a dissolvable element separating the electrical contacts and obstructing electrical communication between the electrical contacts. The dissolvable element may be configured to dissolve and allow electrical communication between the electrical contacts when an acid content of the machine fluid reaches a level indicative of the degradation of the machine fluid.