AGA-3 ORIFICE (API Chapter 14.3.

1) – iPhone App - Documentation

DISCLAIMER – AGREEMENT
Users of ‘AGA-3 Orifice’ must accept this disclaimer of warranty:
THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED
OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE DEVELOPER/AUTHOR BE HELD LIABLE FOR
ANY LOSS OF PROFIT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR OTHER SIMILAR CLAIMS.

Orifice Calculations
Orifice calculations are based on the American Gas Association AGA report No. 3 (also API Manual of
Petroleum Measurement Standards, Chapter 14.3) 1. Orifice Size is calculated from given flowrate and
pressure drop, Flowrate is calculated from given size and pressure drop and Pressure Drop requires
orifice size and flowrate. Different taps can be selected: Flange taps or Pipe taps. Fluids include gases:
Natural Gas (Specific Gravity must be provided), Air and Nitrogen, or liquids: Crude Oil, Water, Methanol,
Mono-ethylene Glycol, Diethylene Glycol and Triethylene Glycol. In addition, selecting orifice material will
adjust the sizing parameter of the orifice depending on temperature.

Physical Properties
Standard conditions for AGA-3 Orifice are defined according to US Customary system as 60 °F (15.56
°C) and 14.73 Psia (1.0156 Bara). Customary units (US) (Temp = °F, Pressure = Psia) and SI-units
(Temp = °C, Pressure = Bara) are supported.

For natural gas the AGA-8 equation-of-state2, 3 (EOS) is used for calculating Z-factor (compressibility
factor) specific heat capacity and isentropic coefficient. For air and nitrogen, the Redlich-Kwong EOS4, 5
is used. Other physical properties are calculated from common empirical equations used in the oil and
gas industry (viscosity, pseudo-critical properties)6-9.

For liquids, the physical properties are calculated from common empirical equations used in the oil
industry10-17.

AGA-3 Calculations
Orifice Meters with Flange Taps:
The fundamental orifice meter flow equation is1:

Qm = 359 .072 C d ( FT ) EvY1d 2 1P

where
Qm = mass flow rate (lbm/hr)
359.072 = Conversion factor for flowrate in lbm/hr, d in inches, and P in inches H2O
Cd(FT) = coefficient of discharge for flange tapped orifice meters
Ev = velocity of approach factor
Y1 = expansion factor (upstream tap)
d = orifice plate bore diameter, inches

1
1 = density of fluid at upstream flowing conditions, lbm/ft3
P = orifice differential pressure, inches H2O at 60 °F

Cd(FT) = Ci(FT) + 0.000511 x (1,000,000×ß/ReD)0.7+{0.0210+0.0049×(19,000×ß/ReD)0.8}×ß4 x

(1,000,000/ReD)0.35
Ci(FT) = Ci(CT) + [(0.0433 + 0.0712 e -8.5L1 – 0.1145 e -6.0L1] x (1 – 0.23×(19,000×ß/ReD)0.8) x
β4/(1 – β4) - 0.0116 × {2/[D×(1-ß)] - 0.52 × (2/[D×(1-ß)])1.3}×ß1.1 × {1 -
0.14×(19,000×ß/ReD)0.8}

Ci(CT) = 0.5961+ 0.0291 × ß2 - 0.2290 × ß8

If pipe diameter is less than 2.8 inches, the Ci(CT) orifice calculation factor is modified as follows
with D in inches:

Ci(CT) = Ci(CT) + 0.003 × (1-ß) × (2.8 - D)

ReD = Reynolds number for the pipe, dimensionless = 𝜌1 𝑣𝐷/

v = fluid velocity
D = pipe diameter
 = viscosity
Ev = velocity of approach factor = (1-ß4)-0.5
Y1 = expansion factor (upstream tap) = 1 – (0.3625+0.1027xβ4+1.1320xβ8) x {1 – [P2/P1]1/κ}
ß = diameter ratio, (d/D)
κ = isentropic coefficient
P1, P2 = pressure at upstream tap and downstream tap respectively

Orifice Meters with Pipe Taps:

Current AGA/API Standard does not contain details of pipe tap orifice metering, but refer to the
1992 Standard (3rd Edition), which uses the factor-method for calculation of flow orifices18. For
gas orifices:
Qv = C * P1hw

Qv = volumetric flowrate, ft3/hr

C* = orifice flow constant = FbFr Y1FpbFtbFtfFgrFpv
P1 = upstream flowing pressure, psia
hw = orifice differential pressure, inches H2O at 60 oF
Y1 = expansion factor (upstream tap) = 1 - (0.333+1.145x(β2+0.7xβ5+12xβ12) x {(ΔP/P1 x 𝜅}
Fb = basic orifice factor = 338.178d2 K0
Fr = Reynolds number factor = 1 + E/ReD
Fpb = base pressure factor
Ftb = base temperature factor
Ftf = flowing temperature factor
Fgr = real gas relative density factor
Fpv = super-compressibility factor
K0 = coefficient of discharge at infinite Reynolds number
= Ke/[1 + 15 x E/1,000,000/d

2
 Ke = coefficient of discharge when Reynolds number = 1,000,000 x d/15
= 0.5925+0.0182/D+(0.44 - 0.06/D)×ß2+(0.935 + 0.225/D)×ß5 + 1.35×ß14
+ (1.43/D0.5)×(0.25 - ß)2.5
E = d×(905 - 5000×ß+ 9000×ß2 - 4200×ß3 + 875/D)
ß = diameter ratio, (d/D)
κ = isentropic coefficient

For liquid orifices, the equation reduces to:

Qv = C * hw

where

Qv = volumetric flowrate, GPH

C* = orifice flow constant = FbFrFpbFtbFtfFgr

From K0 and Ke above it can be shown that the discharge coefficient at any Reynolds number is:

K = Ko x (1 + E/ReD)

Orifice Limitations
For specifications regarding tolerances and restrictions to the orifices themselves, length of pipe
preceding and following the orifice, and tapping points, please check the standard.
The beta ratio (orifice to tube diameter ratio) for AGA is limited as follows:

Flange taps: 0.15 < ß < 0.7

Pipe taps: 0.20 < ß < 0.67

The limitations on pipe diameters or nominal bore lines, D, and orifice diameters are:

1.667 in < ID < 29.25 in

2.0 in < D < 30 in

0.25 in < d < 21.5 in

References
1. “Orifice Metering of Natural Gas and Other Related Hydrocarbon Fluids – Concentric, Square-edged
Orifice Meters”, Part 3: Natural Gas Applications, Fourth Edition, American Gas Association and
American Petroleum Institute, Washington, D.C. (2013).

2. Miller, R.W., "Flow Measurement Engineering Handbook", 2nd Ed., McGraw-Hill Publishing Co., New
York, NY (1989) 2-30 - 2-37

3. “Compressibility and Supercompressibility for Natural Gas and other Hydrocarbon Gases",
Transmission Measurement Committee Report no. 8, AGA Catalog No. XQ 1285, Arlington, VA
(1986).

3
4. “Phase Behavior", Reprint Series, SPE, Dallas (1981), 15, 52-63 and 211-223.

5. Edmister, W.C. and Lee, B.I., "Applied Hydrocarbon Thermodynamics", Vol. 1, 2nd Ed., Gulf
Publishing Co., Houston, TX (1984) 47-49.

6. Reid, R.C., ., Prausnitz, J.M., and Sherwood, T.K., "The Properties of Gases and Liquids", 3rd Ed.,
McGraw-Hill Book Co. Inc., New York, NY (1977) 503-506, and 536-537.

7. Buthod, P., "Specific Heats of Natural Gases", Oil and Gas J. (Sept. 29, 1949) 60.

8. Standing, M.B., "Volumetric and Phase Behavior of Oil Field Hydrocarbon Systems", SPE, Dallas
(1977) 121-127.

9. Wichert, E. and Aziz, K., "Calculate Z's for Sour Gases", Hydrocarbon Processing (May 1971) 51,
119-122.

10. MCCain Jr., W.D., "Reservoir-Fluid Property Correlations - State of the Art", SPE Reservoir
Engineering (May 1991) 266-272.

11. Dickey, D.S., "Practical Formulas Calculate Water Properties", Chemical Engineering (November
1991) 235-236.

12. Gallant, R.W., "Physical Properties of Hydrocarbons", 2nd Printing, Gulf Publishing Co., Houston, TX
(1974) 61-72, 109-123.

13. Craft, B.C., Hawkins, H.F. and Terry, R.E., "Applied Petroleum Reservoir Engineering", 2nd Ed.,
Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs (1991) 40-44.

14. Beggs, H.D. and Robinson, J.R., "Estimating the Viscosity of Crude Oil Systems", J. Pet. Tech. (Sept.
1975) 1140-1141.

15. van Wingen, N., "Viscosity of Air, Water, Natural Gas, and Crude Oil at Varying Pressures and
Temperatures", Secondary Recovery of Oil in the United States, API (1950) Ch. 6.

16. Brill, J.P. and Beggs, H.D., "Two-Phase Flow in Pipes", 3rd Ed., Tulsa, OK (1979) 2-1- 2-67.

17. “Engineering Data Book", Vol II, 10th Ed., Gas Processors Suppliers Association, Tulsa, OK (1987)
13 – 42-44, 20 - 1-13, and 23 -1-65.

18. "Manual of Petroleum Measurement Standards Chapter 14 - Natural Gas Fluids Measurement",
Section 3 - Concentric, Square-Edged Orifice Meters, Part 3 - Natural Gas Applications, API Standard
2530-1991, 3rd Ed., American Petroleum Institute, Washington, D.C. (1992).