Iranian Journal of Oil and Gas Science and Technology

Abstract Recently, several techniques have been suggested for measuring fluid density, as a highly applicable parameter in industries. Among these, gamma-ray densitometry is highly recommended due to its benefits such as non-destructive, operator dependence and online monitoring. This study evaluates the feasibility of using gamma-ray-based density measurement at the Shahid Ahmadi-Roshan oil storage facility in Kerman Province, Iran. The results of this work are valuable due to the specific condition of pipeline maps and their physical properties at this site, as unique case study. A Monte Carlo simulation was conducted with FLUKA code, modeling two pipelines used for gasoline and gas oil transport, based on the dimensions, geometries, and elemental compositions of each to replicate actual conditions. Cobalt-60 and Cesium-137 isotropic gamma-ray sources were defined to measure photon flux with a simulated detection system. The simulations explored various densities of gasoline and gas oil, recording flux values at each density level. According to the results, both gamma-ray sources could effectively serve as primary components of the proposed densitometer. However, Cesium-137 is preferable due to its significant photon flux variations corresponding to changes in pipeline wall thickness and fluid density. A gamma-ray-based densitometer is recommended for practical use at this site, as it offers a more efficient alternative to the current operator-dependent, offline hydrometric method. Given the proximity of the two pipelines, a single-source dynamic densitometer could be implemented to substantially lower costs.