The exploitation of oil deposits is technically very complex and production costs are high. The major challenges of the petro chemistry therefore include, besides the development of new oil deposits, the increase of yield from oil fields that have already been exploited. For the optimal control of the production process and the best possible yield of high-quality oil, continuous monitoring of the water and gas content is indispensable. Excessive production can lead to dilution and a decrease in yield. To avoid this, it is important to collect and evaluate drill samples at regular intervals. Checking the water content during the production helps to optimize the pump performance so that in the end more oil can be produced in the same time.

The extraction of oil and gas means dealing with enormous amounts of energy. High pressures and corrosive environments are the rule and place high demands on the products used in terms of stability, resistance and safety.

The precise measurement of the water content in oil is not an easy task. Fluctuations of the solids, the gas volume fraction or variations in salinity can entail inaccurate measurement results. Besides, oil is very viscous and the environmental conditions vary strongly. Conventional measurement methods based on phase separation are often not precise enough and the analysis of the measurement data in the laboratory cumbersome and time-consuming. Due to the risk of explosion at the oil pipeline, products used in this environment must be certified according to the ATEX product directive 2014/34 / EUATEX.