Densitometer assembly for high-pressure flow lines
AssigneeKHOLLE Magnolia 2015, LLC
InventorsWilliam Brent Stroebel, Barry B. Ekstrand, Larry Mitchel Hill, Scott Taylor Donaldson, Mark C. Dille, E. Lee Colley, III
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Abstract
A densitometer assembly comprises a pipe fabricated from a high-yield steel, a radioactive source, and a detector. The radioactive source is mounted on an exterior wall of the pipe and is adapted to emit gamma radiation in a defined beam. The detector is mounted on an opposing, facing exterior wall of the pipe in alignment with the gamma radiation beam and is adapted to detect gamma radiation.
Claims48
A densitometer assembly for high-pressure flowlines, said densitometer assembly comprising:
- (a) a pipe having an inside diameter of about 5 inches or greater and walls of about 1 inch or less, said pipe being rated for pressures of at least about 5,000 psi and fabricated from steel having a yield strength of at least about 120 ksi;
- (b) a radioactive source mounted on an exterior wall of said pipe;
- said source being configured to emit gamma radiation in a defined beam;
- and
- (c) a detector mounted on an opposing exterior wall of said pipe in alignment with said gamma radiation beam;
- said detector being configured to detect gamma radiation from said detector and generate data sufficient to calculate a density of fluid flowing through said pipe.
A method of measuring the density of a fluid in a system for transporting fluid into an oil and gas well at pressures at least about 5,000 psi, wherein:
- (a) said system comprises:
- i) a pipe having an inside diameter of about 5 inches or greater and wall thickness of about 1 inch or less, said pipe being rated for pressures at least about 5,000 psi and being fabricated from a steel having a yield strength of at least about 120 ksi;
- ii) a radioactive source mounted on an exterior wall of said pipe, said source being configured to emit gamma radiation in a defined beam;
- and
- iii) a detector mounted on an opposing exterior wall of said pipe in alignment with said gamma radiation beam, said detector being configured to detect gamma radiation from said detector;
- and
- (b) wherein said method comprises:
- i) flowing said fluid through said pipe;
- and
- ii) operating said source and detector to generate data correlated to the density of said fluid as it flows through said pipe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.