Need

YPF, the Seeker for this Innocentive Prize Challenge, is seeking innovative solutions to improve wet gas measurement accuracy across industry-standard flow meters, with uncertainty no more than the order of ±3% (those approaching ±2% are of particular interest and will score more strongly).

In various YPF upstream operations facilities, flow meters monitor gas lines routed from oil treatment plants to gas compression plants.

A successful solution will be technically credible regarding its present application across oil/gas or other industry sectors, will need to be supported by solid rationale and a technical timeline and resource plan to deliver a Proof of Concept (POC) at YPF, which can later lead to YPF having a field-testable prototype to trial.

Most likely the proposed solution will be methods, approaches or technologies that have been previously validated ideally with relevant certifications from across industry sectors, to enhance and reassure the probability of success for YPF.

Prize/IP

Your IP Rights are protected in this Prize Challenge; YPF must pay you an award to obtain them.

The best solution has the opportunity to win the award of US$25,000 for meeting all must-have Solution Requirements. The Challenge requires a written proposal to be submitted, supported by solid rationale and a technical timeline and resource plan to deliver a Proof of Concept (POC), and awards will be contingent upon the theoretical evaluation of the proposal and its suitability for experimental validation and POC implementation by YPF.

To receive an Award, Solvers are required to grant non-exclusive usage rights to the Intellectual Property (IP) in their proposed solution. Solvers will retain all rights to any proposal not awarded, and there is no assignment.

YPF is certainly willing and interested to explore a collaboration agreement if IP rights cannot be assigned by a Solver that is an organization already owning the IP rights in their proposed solution, or for a Solver interested in a collaboration agreement with YPF on their solution to explore bringing this together with the POC, rather than receiving a prize award.

Submissions to this Challenge must be received by 11:59 PM (US Eastern Time) on October 12th, 2026.

Please review the later Participation Guidance section before submitting a proposal.

Log in or register your interest to start solving!

Seeker/Eligibility

YPF is an Argentine energy company dedicated to the exploration, production, refining, distribution, and commercialization of gas, oil, and hydrocarbon derivatives. It is also involved in the sale of fuels, lubricants, fertilizers, plastics, and other products related to the industry.

It is one of the largest companies in Argentina and one of the most important oil companies in the region. YPF operates three refineries located in La Plata (Buenos Aires), Luján de Cuyo (Mendoza), and Plaza Huincul (Neuquén), as well as more than 1,600 service stations across the country (both company-owned and franchised).

Employees of YPF are ineligible to be awarded this Challenge.

Challenge

Background

In various YPF upstream operations facilities, flow meters monitor gas lines routed from oil treatment plants to gas compression plants.

Gas measurement points in treatment plants commonly use Orifice Plate meters (American Gas Asociation Reporting Standard(AGA) 3), Coriolis meters (AGA 11), and Ultrasonic meters (AGA 9). These meters operate within a pressure range between 60 and 85 kg/cm² and a temperature range between 30°C and 60°C.

The locations where YPF intend to test the solution already have a TEG unit and some form of upstream inlet separator in place.

When the fluid is wet gas, measurement uncertainty is higher, and the error is typically on the high side, estimated at ±10%.

Wet gas measurement can be difficult because liquid content and changing flow conditions can affect how the meter responds. In general terms, wet gas can introduce measurement error through effects such as liquid loading, phase slip, flow regime changes, droplet carryover, and meter response limitations. These issues can affect different meter types in different ways. For example, Orifice Plate, Coriolis, and Ultrasonic meters may each respond differently to changing phase behaviour, transient conditions, and the presence of entrained liquids.

These meter standards are built on an assumption of clean, single-phase, homogeneous gas flow. When the fluid is wet gas, that assumption breaks down, and measurement uncertainty rises, typically on the high side, estimated at ±10% under current conditions. Wet gas introduces error through several distinct mechanisms, liquid loading, phase slip, flow regime changes, droplet carryover, and meter response limitations, and the three meter families respond differently to each: Orifice meters are the most directly affected by liquid loading, Coriolis meters are comparatively more composition-tolerant but still affected by two-phase damping and calibration transfer effects, and Ultrasonic meters can be made meaningfully more tolerant of entrained liquid through path geometry and placement.

A solution addressing one meter family particularly well is a legitimate and valuable answer; solving all three at once is welcome but not required.

The operational consequences of inaccurate wet-gas measurement are significant. Better measurement is needed to support more reliable well allocation, project performance assessment, production accounting, and reservoir management decisions. Improving measurement certainty would increase confidence in operational and commercial reporting.

Gas is considered wet when the molar composition exceeds:

• Propane (C3) > 4%
• Total Butanes > 1%
• Total Pentanes > 0.3%
• Hexane Plus > 0.2%
• Heating Value > 10,200 kcal/m³

Things to think about

Solutions may come from any industry where fluid or gas measurement matters, provided they can be credibly adapted to this use case, oil and gas, chemical processing, food and beverage, water treatment, and aerospace fluid metering have all produced techniques directly relevant to two-phase flow measurement. The challenge is intentionally broad so that solvers can propose innovative approaches without being over-constrained by a single technology path.

Solvers my wish to consider installation constraints and which specific wet-gas failure modes (liquid loading, phase slip, flow regime changes, droplet carryover, meter response limitations) their approach actually addresses, rather than claiming to solve wet-gas measurement in general.

The Challenge

YPF seeks broadly applicable solutions to improve wet gas measurement using existing primary meters or other industry-relevant measurement approaches that can achieve the target uncertainty. The goal is to reduce measurement uncertainty from current levels to approximately ±3%, while keeping the challenge open to solvers from across sectors with fluid or gas measurement requirements.

Existing measurement points means the solution must fit within the existing installation footprint and the stated pressure/temperature envelope. It does not require the solution to work exclusively through the existing Orifice, Coriolis, or Ultrasonic hardware already installed.

A desirable feature of any solution is a pressure drop (ΔP) not exceeding 15 psi.

No erosion or vibration issues are anticipated at any of the installations. The installation provides the upstream and downstream straight-run lengths required by the applicable AGA report.

Modifications to existing piping, additions of flow conditioning, or deployment of external flow computers are in scope provided that proposed solutions can be realistically piloted at YPF. A standalone supplementary or replacement measurement device at the same point is an equally valid approach, as is a correction algorithm, add-on sensor, or software layer applied to the existing meter, provided any approach meet the requirements below.

Solution Requirements

YPF are open to any innovative approach, provided the proposed solution meets the following Solution Requirements.

Must-haves

• Target measurement accuracy: ±3% repeatability (approaches credibly approaching ±2% score more strongly)
• 24/7 instrument availability and reliability
• Long-term sustainability and adaptability to existing measurement points
• A pressure drop (ΔP) not exceeding 15 psi
• Solution aligned with the applicable AGA report/standard
• Online data transmission capability, where applicable
• A commitment to be in a position with the expertise and credentials, to provide technical and intellectual guidance and support as required throughout the POC

Nice-to-haves

• Scalability across multiple measurement technologies, including Orifice Plate, Coriolis Mass Flow, and Ultrasonic Meters. A strong single-meter-family solution is not disadvantaged against a weaker cross-technology one
• Preference for solutions that have been field-tested and demonstrated satisfactory performance
• Appropriate safety and reliability levels for stand-alone operation
• Estimated scaling costs for deployment across approximately 40 measurement points, one per plant
• Cost levels compatible with the existing installation and infrastructure

Solutions with Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 3–6, demonstrating sufficient maturity (could be from another sector), reliability, and technical rationale and validation, are invited.

Your Submission

Please log in and register your interest to complete the submission form.

The submitted proposals must be written in English or Spanish and can include:

1. Participation type – you will first be asked to inform us how you are participating in this challenge, as a Solver (Individual), Solver (Organization), Solver (Organization - already owning its solution IP) or Solver (interested in partnering, with no prize).
2. Solution Level - the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of your proposal or not applicable.
3. Problem & Opportunity - highlight the innovation in your approach to the Problem, its point of difference, and the specific advantages/benefits this brings (up to 500 words).
4. Solution Overview - detail the features of your proposal and how they address the SOLUTION REQUIREMENTS (500 words, there is space to add more in the summary field, and attach supporting data, diagrams, etc).
5. Solution Feasibility – provide supporting information and rationale, including references, precedents, validation studies, prototype data, or technical rationale (up to 500 words).
6. Experience - Your proof of successful implementation of this type of solution cross industry in the past. Any further expertise, use cases and skills you or your organization have in relation to your proposal (up to 500 words).
7. Solution Risks - any risks you see with your solution and how you would plan for this.
8. Schedule & Cost. A high-level Gantt schedule implementation chart is required, including:
   1. Project phases and estimated duration
   2. Cost per phase and total project cost
   3. Integrated view of timeline and costs
9. Online References - provide links to any publications, articles or press releases of relevance (up to 500 words).

Participation Guidance

1. Submission Close Date: Submissions to this Challenge must be received by 11:59 PM (US Eastern Time) on October 12th, 2026.
2. Late submissions: Late submissions will not be considered.
3. Multiple submissions, One Maximum: In case of multiple submissions by the same Solver, only one submission – the final one submitted – will be considered. Any other submissions will be deleted prior to evaluation.
4. Submission form and attachments: Your submission will be evaluated by the evaluation team first reviewing the information and content you have submitted at the submission form, with attachments used as additional context to your form submission. Submissions relying solely on attachments will receive less attention from the evaluation team.
5. Evaluation notification steps: After the Challenge submission close date, YPF will review and select the winning solutions according to the timeline in the Challenge header. Everyone who submits a proposal will be notified about the status of their submissions.
6. Use of AI: Please note that any submissions produced solely with generative AI are not of interest.
7. Learn more: Find out more about participation in Innocentive Challenges.