Preventing hydrate formation in a flowline
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorJana Mohammed Aljindan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A water content sensor is positioned within a flowline downstream of a well-choke. The water content sensor is configured to determine a water content percentage of a production fluid flowing through the flowline. A temperature sensor is positioned downstream of the well-choke. The temperature sensor is configured to determine a temperature of the production fluid flowing through the flowline. A heating-jacket surroundings at least a portion of the flowline. The heating-jacket is configured to transfer heat into the flowline. A controller is configured to receive a signal from each of the water content sensor and the temperature sensor, and control the heating jacket in response to a signal from each of the water content sensor and the temperature sensor.
Claims12
A system comprising:
- a water content sensor positioned within a flowline downstream of a well-choke, the water content sensor configured to determine a water content percentage of a production fluid flowing through the flowline;
- a temperature sensor positioned downstream of the well-choke, the temperature sensor configured to determine a temperature of the production fluid flowing through the flowline;
- a heating jacket surrounding at least a portion of the flowline, the heating jacket configured to transfer heat into the flowline;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- receive a signal from each of the water content sensor and the temperature sensor,
- control the heating jacket responsive to a signal from each of the water content sensor and the temperature sensor;
- determine a water content threshold of a production fluid flowing through the flowline responsive to the signal received from the water content sensor;
- determine that a flowline temperature downstream of the well-choke decreases to be less than a first specified temperature based on the signal received from the temperature sensor;
- activate a heating jacket in response to determining that the flowline temperature is less than the first specified temperature;
- determine that a flowline temperature downstream of the well-choke increases to be greater than a second specified temperature, that is equal to or greater than the first specified temperature, based on the signal received from the temperature sensor;
- and
- deactivate the heating jacket in response to determining that the flowline temperature is greater than the second specified temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.