US Patent 7274996 Method and system for monitoring fluid flow

A method and system for monitoring fluid flow, such as fluid flow through pipelines or similar conduits for delivering natural gas, crude oil, and other similar liquid or gas energy commodities, relies on the measurement of acoustic waves generated by the fluid, thus allowing for monitoring of the flow rate without direct access to the fluid. Furthermore, the method and system allows for estimation of the operational dynamics of components or facilities of the production, transportation, storage, and distribution systems for the energy commodities.