# US 10,502,054 B2 · Fluid properties measurement using choke valve system

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- Number: US 10,502,054 B2
- Document ID: US10502054B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/791,996
- Filed: 2017-10-24
- Published: 2019-04-25
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2017-10-24
- Assignees: OneSubsea IP UK Limited
- Applicants: OneSubsea IP UK Limited
- Inventors: Andrew C. Baker; Lars Noekleberg; Harald Solheim
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502054B2

## CPC

- E21B 49/08: Obtaining fluid samples or testing fluids, in boreholes or wells
- E21B 34/00: Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells
- E21B 34/025: {Chokes or valves in wellheads and sub-sea wellheads for variably regulating fluid flow}
- E21B 41/0007: {for underwater installations (E21B41/005, E21B41/04, E21B41/06, E21B41/08, E21B41/10 take precedence)}
- E21B 43/12: Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells (E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00)
- E21B 43/36: Underwater separating arrangements (E21B43/38 takes precedence)
- E21B 47/001: for underwater installation
- G01N 33/18: Water
- G01V 11/002: {Details, e.g. power supply systems for logging instruments, transmitting or recording data, specially adapted for well logging, also if the prospecting method is irrelevant (means for transmitting well survey signals E21B47/12; signal transmission systems in general G08C; transmission in general H04B)}
- E21B 49/0875: {determining specific fluid parameters}
- E21B 2200/02: Down-hole chokes or valves for variably regulating fluid flow
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02)

## Abstract

A technique facilitates monitoring of a multiphase fluid flow. The fluid flow is directed through a choke valve comprising a choke actuation system which controls a flow rate of the fluid passing through the choke valve. The choke valve also comprises a velocity reduction area which is created by a choke gallery. The choke gallery reduces the velocity of the fluid flow to encourage separation of phases of the multiphase fluid. A sensor is positioned along the gallery at a desired region to monitor a property of at least one separated phase of the multiphase fluid. For example, the sensor may be positioned proximate a bottom of the choke gallery to monitor a property related to a water phase which separates and transitions to the bottom due to its greater density.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for monitoring a fluid flow, comprising:
a subsea process line for flowing a multiphase fluid;
a subsea choke valve positioned along the subsea process line, the subsea choke valve having:
an inlet section;
a choke gallery coupled to the inlet section and having a larger cross-sectional flow area than the subsea process line;
an outlet section coupled to the choke gallery; and
a choke actuator system disposed in the choke gallery, the choke actuator system being adjustable to control a flow rate of the multiphase fluid through the subsea process line, the larger cross-sectional area of the choke gallery causing a reduction in flow velocity enabling a heavier phase of the multiphase fluid to separate and transition to a bottom of the choke gallery; and
a sensor positioned at the bottom of the choke gallery to measure a property of the heavier phase.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the inlet section is generally cylindrical and oriented for coupling with a first section of the subsea process line; and the outlet section is generally cylindrical and oriented for coupling with a second section of the subsea process line.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the choke gallery comprises a cylindrical housing having a bottom wall, a top wall, and a cylindrical side wall extending from the bottom wall to the top wall.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the sensor extends through the bottom wall.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the sensor extends through the cylindrical sidewall proximate the bottom wall.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of sensors.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a salinity sensor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a conductivity sensor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the choke actuator system comprises:
a cylinder having flow passages through which the multiphase fluid is able to flow;
a slide member slidably mounted along the cylinder; and
an actuator coupled to the slide member to move the slide member to different positions, the different positions controlling the amount of fluid flow through the flow passages and thus from the inlet section to the outlet section.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the slide member is a piston.

### Claim 11

A system, comprising:
a choke valve having: an inlet section and an outlet section through which a process fluid is received and discharged, respectively; a choke gallery enlarged to slow the velocity of the process fluid between the inlet section and the outlet section to enable phase separation; a choke actuation system adjustable to control flow rate of the process fluid through the outlet section; and a sensor positioned at a bottom of the choke gallery to measure a fluid property of a fluid phase disposed along a bottom of the choke gallery.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system as recited in claim 11, further comprising a subsea process line for flowing the process fluid, the choke valve being coupled into the subsea process line.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the choke gallery comprises a cylindrical housing having a bottom wall, a top wall, and a cylindrical side wall extending from the bottom wall to the top wall.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the sensor extends through the bottom wall.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the sensor extends through the cylindrical side wall proximate the bottom wall.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the choke actuation system comprises a cylinder having flow passages through which the process fluid is able to flow at a rate determined by a slide member slidably mounted along the cylinder.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the choke actuation system further comprises an actuator coupled to the slide member to move the slide member to different positions so as to control the amount of process fluid flowing through the flow passages.

### Claim 18

A method, comprising:
positioning a choke valve along a process line;
delivering a multiphase fluid through the process line;
controlling a flow rate of the multiphase fluid with a choke actuation system of the choke valve;
creating a velocity reduction in a gallery of the choke valve to encourage separation of phases of the multiphase fluid; and
using a sensor positioned along the gallery to monitor a property of at least one phase of the multiphase fluid.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method as recited in claim 18, wherein positioning comprises positioning the choke valve and the process line at a subsea location.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method as recited in claim 18, wherein using the sensor comprises monitoring a property of a water phase separated from the multiphase fluid.