Upstream Regulator Unveils First Gravimetric Flow Meter Calibration Facility

…Targets reduced crude oil losses, improved revenue

The federal government has moved to tighten accountability in the crude oil sector by inaugurating a Gravimetric Multifaceted Flow Metering Calibration Facility in Eket, Akwa Ibom State.

The project — the first of its kind in West Africa — which addresses a long-standing industry challenge: uncertainty in crude measurement, was unveiled by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

For decades, inaccurate metering has contributed to disputes, revenue leakages, and reliance on overseas laboratories for calibration.

Speaking at the inauguration, NUPRC’s chief executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, commended Engineering Automation Technology Limited (EATL), the indigenous firm that developed the facility, for its vision, belief, courage, and patriotism in investing in the state-of-the-art project.

Eyesan, who was represented by the deputy director for Development in the NUPRC,  Manuel Ibituroko, described the plant as “a transformative leap forward”, featuring zero-touch automation, tamper-proof audit trails, and high-precision gravimetric standards designed to eliminate human error and minimise downtime.

The facility can calibrate turbine, ultrasonic, Coriolis, electromagnetic, and positive displacement meters — critical devices used to determine volumes of crude flowing through pipelines and export terminals — thereby improving operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and production optimisation.

According to the regulator, accurate measurement will curb revenue losses, strengthen reserves management, and free public funds for infrastructure, healthcare, and education, while positioning Nigeria as a regional hub for metering excellence.

Previously, operators depended on foreign calibration services, incurring shipping costs, delays, and foreign-exchange outflows. The local plant retains that value within the domestic economy.

EATL managing director/CEO, Dr Emmanuel Okon, said the project emerged from Nigeria’s local content drive, following the 2020 encouragement of indigenous companies to build in-country technical capacity.

“Without dependable calibration, even advanced meters produce inconsistent narratives. With it, we align on a unified truth,” he said.

He said the facility incorporates traceable standards, automated data capture, and documented uncertainty budgets certified to international benchmarks, allowing regulators, auditors, and commercial partners to rely on a single verified dataset.

“This facility promises streamlined revenue reconciliation and compelling investment cases, as Nigerian oil producers will now experience reduced measurement uncertainties,” said Okon. “It empowers regulators and oil field operators to demonstrate precision, while communities receive transparent insights into production, royalties, and environmental impacts. Such clarity fosters social license, which is the essential and ongoing consent that sustains exploration and production,” he added.

The project was executed under NUPRC oversight with support from the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board and other stakeholders, ensuring certificates are recognised for statutory reporting and compliance.

Industry analysts expect the development to improve transparency in royalties and taxes, tackle crude oil theft, and enhance investor confidence through verifiable production figures.

The facility is also projected to develop technical hubs within the host community, create hundreds of skilled jobs, and deepen domestic technical expertise in petroleum measurement technology.