Patent ID: 7389684

Claim:
A gas lift flow surveillance device, comprising: a housing defining a cavity, the housing having a bottom wall having a threaded bore defined therein; a pipe nipple having opposite ends externally threaded with NPT threads, the nipple defining a conduit, one end of the nipple being threaded into the threaded bore defined by the housing, the opposite end being adapted for attachment to an NPT access port on a flow pipe; a paddle having: an elongated rod having a first end and a second end, the rod extending through the conduit defined by the nipple; a paddle block attached to the first end of the rod, the paddle block being pivotally mounted within the cavity defined by the housing; and a target attached to the second end of the rod below the nipple, the target having a flat leading face defining a cross-sectional area, the target being adapted for being disposed in the flow pipe with the leading face positioned to receive impact from fluid flowing in the pipe; a load cell attached to the housing, the load cell having a strain input area and having means for producing a millivolt output as a function of the pressure exerted on the strain input area; and a contact extending from the paddle block, the contact bearing against the strain input area of the load cell.