It is important to recognize that the amount of tubing, the size of the sample port and the volume of static oil in relation to the location of the sample port can all disturb the overall quality of the sample. For an effective, data-rich sample, appropriate pre-sample flushing volumes should be included in sampling procedures and should be specific for each individual sample port. The industry rule of thumb is to pre-flush six to 10 times the total volume of static oil in a sample tube, port, port adapter and any dead legs of pipe in the systems upstream of the sample port location.
