"INTRODUCTION Sand erosion of production equipment on offshore platforms is causing substantial monetary loss to the Petroleum Industry. One major company estimates a loss in excess of one million dollars annually due to sand erosion problems [1-2] *. In order to alleviate sand erosion problems which cause production deferred at a time when an adequate energy supply is essential for the welfare of our nation@ a project was initiated at Texas AM University by the American Petroleum Institute under the direction of the API Offshore Safety and Anti-Pollution Research Committee (OSAPR)@ chaired by Dr. R. S. Crog@ Union Oil Company of California@ to study sand erosion problems in oil and gas production equipment. The project@ OSAPR Project No.2@ ""Detection and Prevention of Sand Erosion of Offshore Production Equipment""@ was funded with a budget of $62@000 for an 18 month program starting September 1@ 1973. * Numbers in brackets designate References listed in Appendix I."