Oilfield Flow Meters Compared: Electromagnetic vs Ultrasonic vs Vortex vs Coriolis vs Turbine
Short answer: Pick a flow meter by what is in the pipe. For water (produced, injection, fresh or brine), use the electromagnetic meter, or the clamp-on ultrasonic if you cannot cut the pipe. For fuel gas or natural gas, use the precession vortex meter. For condensate, NGL, chemicals or diesel where you want mass flow, use the Coriolis meter; for a simple fuel totaliser, the K24 turbine meter. Specs and prices below come from the product listings.
Which meter for which fluid?
| Fluid / job | Meter | Why (per the listing) | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Produced or injection water, dirty or with solids | LDG electromagnetic, DN10–DN50 | No moving parts, no obstruction; conductive liquids only | from $569.99 |
| Water line you cannot cut or shut down | TUF-2000B clamp-on ultrasonic | Transducers strap to the outside of the pipe; liquids only | from $249.99 |
| Fuel gas to compressors, heaters, generators | Precession vortex gas meter, DN15–DN50 | Natural gas, methane, liquefied gas, hydrogen; shows flow, pressure and temperature | from $1,070.99 |
| Condensate, NGL, chemical injection, fuel | Coriolis mass flow meter, DN15–DN32 | Measures mass flow directly; ±0.1 % listed accuracy | from $5,068.99 |
| Diesel or fuel oil at a transfer point | K24 digital turbine meter | Compact meter with LCD totaliser | from $112.99 |
Prices as listed on 7 November 2026; the product page always shows the current price for each size or version.
Specs side by side
| Electromagnetic | Clamp-on ultrasonic | Vortex (gas) | Coriolis | K24 turbine | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Store SKU | ABX-AE-207444 | ABX-AE-696442 | ABX-AE-265085 | ABX-AE-348012 | ABX-AE-762969 |
| Fluids | Conductive liquids only (not oil, condensate or gas) | Liquids only | Natural gas, methane, liquefied gas, hydrogen | Liquids such as condensate, NGL, chemicals, fuel | Diesel, fuel oil, water, compatible chemicals |
| Sizes / fit | DN10–DN50, flanged | Clamp-on; TS-2 small, TM-1 medium, TL-1 large pipe; -HT high-temperature versions | DN15–DN50, flanged | DN15–DN32, flanged | Compact inline |
| Outputs | Pulse, 4-20 mA, RS485 | 4-20 mA, RS485 Modbus, OCT pulse, relay; PT100 inputs for energy metering | 4-20 mA, RS485 | Pulse, 4-20 mA, RS485 | Local LCD totaliser |
| Power | 220 VAC or 24 VDC versions | 85-264 VAC or 8-36 VDC | 24 VDC or 3.6 V lithium battery | Not stated in the listing | Battery, not included |
| Listed accuracy | 0.5 grade | Depends on pipe data entered | Not stated in the listing | ±0.1 % | Not stated in the listing |
Questions and answers
Can the electromagnetic meter measure oil?
No. It needs a conductive liquid. Oil, condensate and gas are not conductive enough. Use the Coriolis or turbine meter for hydrocarbons.
Can I use these for custody transfer?
The listings do not include calibration certificates or custody-transfer approvals. Confirm the accuracy class and any certificate your contract or regulator requires before you order.
Are they rated for hazardous areas?
No hazardous-area certificate (ATEX, IECEx or UL/CSA Class I Div 1) is included with these listings, including the Coriolis meter, whose enclosure the manufacturer describes as explosion-proof. Confirm suitability for your area classification before installing.
How do I get the reading into my PLC or SCADA?
Four of the five offer 4-20 mA and RS485. Wire the 4-20 mA to an analog input, or read RS485 Modbus into your PLC, RTU or gateway. The K24 has a local display only.
See the flow on your phone (free)
Four of these meters output 4-20 mA or RS485 Modbus. Feed that into a Modbus I/O module or RS485-to-Ethernet gateway and you can watch flow, totals and alarms in AutomationBotX Cloud, together with pressure, level and temperature from the same site. The first 10 machines are free, and it is read-only: it never sends commands to your equipment. How the signal gets from the field to your phone.
Buy
- LDG electromagnetic flow meter, from $569.99
- TUF-2000B clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, from $249.99
- Precession vortex gas flow meter, from $1,070.99
- Coriolis mass flow meter, from $5,068.99
- K24 digital turbine flow meter, from $112.99
Free US shipping on every order. Need a written quote for purchasing? Use our Wholesale page. Specs above come from the product listings; if a value you need is not listed, it is not stated by the supplier.