Solutions for Coriolis Meters
Stop Paraffin Buildup on Coriolis Meters. Keep Meter Factors Consistent.
e9’s Treatment Solutions help prevent paraffin wax and other foulants from depositing on Coriolis meter flow tubes — eliminating meter factor drift, failed provings, and costly shutdowns.
The Challenge: Paraffin Wax and other Foulants Destroy Coriolis Meter Performance
Coriolis meters measure mass flow by vibrating flow tubes and detecting the phase shift caused by fluid passing through. Buildup, paraffin, or scaling inside a Coriolis meter increases the mass of the vibrating tubes, causing the meter to detect a higher natural frequency. Because Coriolis meters calculate density by measuring the resonance frequency of these tubes, this added mass creates a consistent, positive bias in the density reading, reporting a density higher than the actual process fluid — leading to meter factor drift, failed provings, and measurement inaccuracies.
Meter Factor Drift
Paraffin buildup adds mass to the flow tubes, shifting the vibration frequency. This causes the meter factor to drift above 1.0000, meaning the meter underreads against the prover — a critical problem in custody transfer applications.
Failed Provings
When wax deposits become severe enough, the meter factor shift exceeds acceptable tolerances and operations fail the required meter proving process. Production must stop until the meter is pulled and cleaned.
Recurring Shutdowns
In severe environments, paraffin fouling can require meter cleaning as often as weekly. Each shutdown means lost production, service crew mobilization, and the risk of damaging the meter during removal and reinstallation.
Massive Cleaning Costs
Pulling, cleaning, and reinstalling a Coriolis meter is expensive — one South Texas operator estimated savings of over $100,000 for each cleaning cycle eliminated. For operators with multiple fouled meters, costs compound rapidly.
The Solution: e9’s Treatment Solution for Coriolis Meters
e9 offers a Treatment Solution that, when applied to Coriolis meter flow tubes, changes the the behavior of the metal surface — making it unfavorable for paraffin and other environmental contaminants to adhere.
The treatment does not change the functionality, calibration, or specifications of the meter. The flow tubes continue to vibrate and measure exactly as designed.
Treatment Characteristics
Does not alter flow tube mass, vibration, or calibration
Oleophobic and hydrophobic — repels paraffin, oil, and water
Temperature resistant for upstream and midstream operating environments
Will not void device warranty — validated by many OEMs
Permanently changes surface molecular structure — not a coating that wears off
Case Study: Pembina Pipeline — 1 Year Without Interruption
At one location in Canada, Pembina observed paraffin wax buildup on a 2-inch Coriolis meter where blending of crude oils and butane occurred. Within days of the producer initiating butane blending, Pembina’s leak detection system identified a line imbalance and shut in the site until the meter could be serviced.
This cycle of fouling and shutdown occurred 1–3 times per week for an entire year — until Pembina decided to treat the Coriolis meter with e9 Treatments.
One year after treatment, the meter continued to run without interruption — eliminating the weekly shutdown cycle that had plagued the site for the previous twelve months.
Case Study: Permian Basin Operator Stabilizes Meter Factors
An operator in the Permian Basin found that paraffin deposition on their Coriolis meters was affecting the meter factor and causing operations to fail the required meter proving process. The operator decided to treat all of their Coriolis meters with e9 Metal Treatment.
After six months, meter factors remained consistent and treated meters exhibited significantly less fouling than untreated meters. The company extended the scheduled maintenance interval from twice per year to once annually.
The $100K Impact
One customer in South Texas estimated their savings at over $100,000 for each Coriolis meter cleaning cycle eliminated — factoring in lost production, service crew costs, meter removal and reinstallation, and measurement downtime.
How It Works
e9 treatment can be applied to Coriolis meters on-site, at a service facility, or before initial installation.
Clean & Prep
Flow tubes and internal surfaces are cleaned to remove existing paraffin and contaminant buildup
Apply Treatment
e9’s Treatment Solution for Coriolis Meters is applied to the flow tube interiors and other critical internal surfaces
Ensure Coverage
e9 Service Technicians ensure complete, even treatment coverage
Ready to Install
The meter is ready for installation and service
Service & Application Options
New Meter Treatment
Treat Coriolis meters before installation to help prevent paraffin buildup from day one.
In-Field Treatment
Treat meters on-site during scheduled maintenance pulls. No additional downtime beyond what’s already planned for proving or cleaning.
Service Center Treatment
Send meters to an e9 Treatment Facility or regional treatment center for comprehensive cleaning, surface preparation, and treatment.
Fleet-Wide Programs
Standardize e9 Treatment Solutions across all Coriolis meters in your operation — treat every meter during its next scheduled maintenance for ongoing protection across your entire fleet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do e9’s Treatment Solutions for Coriolis meters work?
Our Treatment Solutions change the properties of the metal surface inside the flow tubes, creating a surface that is unfavorable for paraffin and other organic contaminants to adhere.
Will the Coriolis meter’s calibration or meter factor change?
No. The treatment does not alter vibration characteristics, calibration, or meter factor. It is practically invisible and has been validated by multiple OEMs. The meter continues to measure exactly as designed — with the added benefit that contaminants longer adhere on the tube surfaces.
How does fouling cause the Coriolis meter factor to drift?
Coriolis meters measure flow by vibrating their flow tubes and detecting the phase shift. The vibration frequency is determined by the total mass of the tube-plus-fluid system. When fouling builds up on the interior walls, it adds mass to the tubes, which shifts the vibration frequency and causes the density reading to drift. This results in a meter factor greater than 1.0000, meaning the meter underreads volume compared to the prover — a critical error in custody transfer.
What results have e9 Treatment Solutions achieved on Coriolis meters?
Pembina Pipeline treated a 2-inch Coriolis meter, running in very challenging conditions, that was shutting down their site 1–3 times per week due to paraffin fouling. After e9 treatment, the meter ran for over one year without interruption. A Permian Basin operator saw consistent meter factors for 6+ months and extended their maintenance interval from twice per year to once annually, saving over $5,000 per site. A South Texas operator estimated savings of over $100,000 for each cleaning cycle eliminated.
How long does the treatment last on a Coriolis meter?
The treatment is highly durable. The Pembina Pipeline case demonstrated over one year of continuous operation in a severe paraffin environment. Duration varies by operating conditions, but many operators integrate e9 treatment into their regular proving and maintenance schedules for ongoing protection.
What sizes and brands of Coriolis meters can be treated?
Treatment is effective on all major Coriolis meter brands and sizes used in oil and gas operations, including Emerson Micro Motion, Endress+Hauser, Krohne, and others. Treatment can be applied to any metal flow tube surface regardless of manufacturer or tube geometry.
Are e9 Treatment Solutions available for other measurement equipment?
Yes. In addition to Coriolis meters, e9 offers proven Treatment Solutions for magnetic flow meters, turbine meters, vortex meters, orifice plates, small volume provers, valves, and flowlines across upstream and midstream operations. Hundreds of thousands of treated assets are currently operating throughout North America and Europe.
Ready to Eliminate Coriolis Meter Fouling?
Whether you’re treating one meter or standardizing across your entire operation, e9 Treatments has a solution. We work with operators, meter OEMs, distributors, and service companies.
Contact Us TodayInsidesales@e9treatments.com · e9treatments.com