²³L.K. Spink mentions in his book Principles and Practice of Flow Meter Engineering that certain tests have shown flow measurement errors induced from severe disturbances as far as 60 to 100 pipe diameters upstream of the primary flow element. The April 2000 update of API standard 14.3 (for custody-transfer measurement of natural gas using orifice plates) calls for upward of 145 pipe diameters of straight-length pipe upstream of the orifice plate!