Source : https://www.xsensflow.com/

In the oil, gas, and maritime industries, operators often struggle with inaccurate or high-maintenance flow meters that require pipe cutting, frequent calibration, or shutdowns for installation and repair. These issues lead to costly downtime, safety risks, and unreliable data especially in offshore or remote environments where precision is critical. That’s where XSENS Flow Solutions steps in. By using non-intrusive, clamp-on ultrasonic technology, XSENS enables accurate, real-time flow and water-cut measurement without interrupting operations, delivering reliable performance, lower costs, and safer monitoring for modern industrial systems.

Xsens Flow Solutions is a Norwegian technology company that develops and markets clamp-on ultrasonic flow and fraction measurement meters. Their innovation allows measuring liquids, gases and mixed flows from the outside of a pipe, avoiding invasive instrumentation, reducing installation downtime and cost, while maintaining high accuracy. The technology is aimed primarily at upstream oil & gas (topside and subsea), but also finds applications in process industries and water supply. 

Founded in 2013 as a spin-out from Christian Michelsen Research (now NORCE Research) in Bergen, Norway, XSENS Flow Solutions was created to commercialize advanced ultrasonic clamp-on flow measurement technology. The company was co-founded by Magne Husebø (CEO), Remi Kippersund (VP R&D), and Tarjei Rommetveit (CTO/VP Products), experts in acoustics, signal processing, and industrial measurement. Together, they turned years of research into practical solutions for accurate, non-intrusive flow and fraction measurement in industries like oil and gas.  The market context is significant: traditional inline flow meters in oil & gas are costly to install, often require production shutdown, and carry risks of leakages or erosion/corrosion. Xsens positions its solution as a lower-cost, less disruptive retrofit alternative. 

Source : https://www.xsensflow.com/

The company’s flagship meters leverage a clamp-on ultrasonic guided-wave technology, enabling accurate flow and fluid-fraction measurements from the outside of a pipe rather than requiring pipe penetration or in-line insertion. For example, the “XACT Liquid Flow Rate & Water Cut” meter measures both the volumetric flow rate of oil/water mixtures and the water-cut (0-100 % water-in-oil) with high accuracy (± 1 % of flow rate, ± 1 % absolute water-cut) by transmitting ultrasonic time-of-flight signals through the pipe wall and full bore of the fluid. 

Meanwhile, the “XRATE” product line focuses on flow rate measurement only (liquid, and other media) from outside the pipe, achieving similarly high accuracy (about 1 % of flow) and a wide turndown ratio (up to 400:1, i.e., 0.1–40 m/s) thanks to patented helical and axial transducer configurations that capture the full velocity profile. Because the sensors never contact the fluid, they avoid issues like erosion, corrosion, waxing or scaling, and can be installed in as little as 2-3 hours without shutting down the line. With materials fit for demanding environments (offshore, subsea, high pressure/temperature), the product is designed for longevity (20-25 + years) and offers substantial cost and risk reduction compared to traditional in-line meters. The company claims roughly 50 % lower life-cycle cost and no leakage risk. Meanwhile, the XRATE Mud Flow Meter is tailored for drilling operations, providing reliable measurements in complex mud mixtures containing solids, gas, and oil.

Across all models, XSENS’s clamp-on technology eliminates the need for pipe modifications or flow interruptions, greatly reducing installation time, cost, and maintenance requirements. Certified for hazardous areas and suitable for harsh industrial environments, XSENS meters represent a robust, cost-effective, and sustainable solution for modern flow measurement.

Source : https://www.xsensflow.com/

XSENS Flow Solutions has attracted a combination of venture capital and government-backed research funding, primarily from Norwegian sources. In 2017, the company secured NOK 25 million (approximately US$ 2.7 million) in venture funding from Investinor AS, a state-owned investment company, and ProVenture Management AS, a private Norwegian venture capital firm focusing on technology start-ups. This investment marked a key milestone that enabled XSENS to transition its clamp-on ultrasonic flow technology from prototype to commercial deployment. In 2018, XSENS conducted another capital increase of NOK 10 million (US$ 1.2m), with additional support from Sarsia Seed AS, a Bergen-based early-stage venture fund, alongside continued backing from Investinor and ProVenture. Beyond private capital, XSENS received a USD 1.25 million R&D grant from the Research Council of Norway to advance its “Clamp-on Wet Gas Flow Measurement” project. Altogether, the company is estimated to have raised around USD 4–5 million in total, according to public data and PitchBook estimates. This combination of strategic venture investment and national R&D support underscores Norway’s commitment to fostering innovation in the energy and industrial measurement sectors, helping XSENS accelerate its product development, market expansion, and commercialization efforts.

Final Thoughts

XSENS Flow Solutions stands as a testament to Norway’s leadership in industrial innovation, bridging decades of acoustic research with real-world engineering needs in oil, gas, and maritime operations. By eliminating the need for invasive installations and minimizing operational downtime, XSENS’s clamp-on ultrasonic meters redefine how flow measurement can be performed safer, faster, and more sustainably. Its success story, fueled by strong venture and government support, highlights how deep-tech innovation can transform traditional industries while advancing energy efficiency and environmental responsibility. As global demand for smarter, cleaner industrial systems continues to grow, XSENS Flow Solutions is well positioned to shape the future of non-intrusive measurement technology across multiple sectors.

References 

Investinor. (2017, February 8). Nytt porteføljeselskap: XSENS AS. Investinor. https://investinor.no/en/nytt-portefoljeselskap-xsens-as/

PitchBook. (n.d.). XSENS Flow Solutions Company Profile: Valuation & Investors. PitchBook. https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/170505-01

ProVenture. (n.d.). Portfolio – XSENS Flow Solutions. ProVenture. https://www.proventure.no/portfolio

Research Council of Norway. (2022). Funding award: Clamp-on Wet Gas Flow Measurement. https://www.xsensflow.com/news/funding-award-wet-gas-flow-measurement/

Sarsia Seed. (2018). XSENS attracts investors for continued growth. XSENS Flow Solutions. https://www.xsensflow.com/news/xsens-attract-investors/

XSENS Flow Solutions. (n.d.). About us. XSENS Flow Solutions. https://www.xsensflow.com/about-us/

XSENS Flow Solutions. (n.d.). Products. XSENS Flow Solutions. https://www.xsensflow.com/products/

XSENS Flow Solutions. (n.d.). Industries. XSENS Flow Solutions. https://www.xsensflow.com/industries/

Contributor : Dyah Ayuning Tyas

Reviewer      : Imam Buchari, David Ratner