Transform gas metering and pipeline monitoring through digitalization: Is hydrocarbon dewpoint a dependable metric?

3/31/2026

P. STOCKWELL, Process Vision, Basingstoke, England, UK For more than 40 yrs, hydrocarbon dewpoint (HCDP) calculations have been the accepted standard for declaring natural gas “dry.” This method, combining pressure, temperature and composition into an equation of state, has been fundamental to contracts, tariffs and safety cases. By ensuring the HCDP is well below expected operating temperatures, operators have sought to guarantee that gas remains in single-phase as it travels from source to point of use. This article explores how natural gas liquids (NGLs) are entering gas networks without tripping alarms. Now, advances in process camera technology allow engineers to see high-pressure