ABSTRACT

This research work described the design and implementation of real-time web based GSM monitoring of crude oil flow using open source internet of things platform ThingSpeak. The system maintained a near real-time visibility of flow rate measurement; regardless of where the oil well are located and allows for inexpensive monitoring of crude oil mining from wellheads to export terminals in order to reduce corruption in the oil and gas industry through transparency and accountability. The internet of things (IoT) includes a flow sensor, pumping machine, arduino, WiFi module, GSM module and a ThingSpeak server. The pumping machine pumps the crude oil and then a flow sensor monitors the flow rate and remotely reports the quantity wirelessly to the ThingSpeak server for further processing. The resulting data was displayed on a graphical user interface for stakeholders to have access to and also sent to the mobile phone numbers of the Minister of petroleum and the President.

These data are then used to checkmate the issues of lack of transparency, accountability and oversight of oil lifting by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the high cost of manual monitoring of flow rate of crude oil associated with sending technicians to remote sites to check the status of flow meters data at all well heads.