New Pressure Sensor Technology in the Offshore Industry

A new pressure sensor technology packaged with a target for high stability and high reliability applications has been released, a single crystal integrated capacitance sensor that shows promising results for use in subsea and offshore environments. This paper details the laboratory results of qualification tests with a comparison to industry-leading technologies and presents some examples of how this sensor technology can be used to benefit the industry. Design validation testing was undertaken to full transmitters, in many cases with a direct comparison to quartz-based sensors. This technology could open doors to new applications, and it can be configured to the target application. The use of the sensor in certain applications has the potential to reduce costs and increase yield in offshore exploration and production. The qualification data presented here could provide insight into available transmitter capabilities. The single crystal integrated capacitance sensor could fill a gap in the industry for a sensor that stabilizes rapidly to thermal effects while exhibiting excellent long-term drift behavior. The thermal transient error is less than that of the quartz sensors it was tested against, and it allows for larger, continuously changing thermal gradients, with fewer errors. This sensor also allows for an increase in duration between zeroing, unlike typical piezoresistive sensor specifications. The packaging and electronics are customizable for a wide array of solutions. The configuration of the transmitters detailed in this paper was specifically tailored toward data rates of 1Hz or less, 175°C operation, and tolerance to H2S containing environments. Future possibilities can target higher resolution, data rates, and alternate temperatures.