Systems and methods for volume fraction analysis of production fluids utilizing a vertically oriented fluidic separation chamber

A system for analyzing a multiphase production fluid, the system comprising fluidic piping, a production fluid supply valve configured to supply multiphase production fluid, an inert gas supply valve configured to supply an inert gas, the inert gas being separate from and comprising a lower density than a gaseous phase of the multiphase production fluid, a vertically orientated fluidic separation chamber, an inert gas exhaust valve, a separation chamber pressure sensor, a fluidic separation detector, and a fluidic supply and analysis unit, in which:

• the fluidic separation detector comprises a plurality of active sensors, a plurality of passive sensors, or a plurality of active sensors and a plurality of passive sensors;
• the fluidic piping is configured to supply multiphase production fluid from the production fluid supply valve and the inert gas from the inert gas supply valve to the vertically oriented fluidic separation chamber;
• the inert gas exhaust valve is configured to exhaust inert gas from the vertically oriented fluidic separation chamber;
• the separation chamber pressure sensor is configured to provide an indication of gas pressure in the vertically oriented fluidic separation chamber;
• and
• the fluidic supply and analysis unit is in communication with the production fluid supply valve, the inert gas supply valve, the inert gas exhaust valve, the separation chamber pressure sensor, and the fluidic separation detector, and is configured to
• supply the inert gas to the vertically oriented fluidic separation chamber,
• communicate with the production fluid supply valve to supply the multiphase production fluid to the vertically oriented fluidic separation chamber after supplying the inert gas,
• communicate with the separation chamber pressure sensor to stabilize the gas pressure within the vertically oriented fluidic separation chamber by exhausting the inert gas through the inert gas exhaust valve as the multiphase production fluid is supplied,
• communicate with the fluidic separation detector to monitor a growth rate QC of a gaseous phase column of the multiphase production fluid in the vertically oriented fluidic separation chamber through the fluidic separation detector,
• convert the growth rate QC of the gaseous phase column to a production fluid gas flow rate QG,
• transition the vertically oriented fluidic separation chamber to a static state after a completely separated gaseous phase column and a completely separated oil phase column are formed within the vertically oriented fluidic separation chamber,
• communicate with the fluidic separation detector to measure the absolute or relative sizes of the completely separated gaseous phase column and the completely separated oil phase column through the fluidic separation detector, and
• calculate an oil/gas volume fraction VO/VG as a function of the measured sizes of the gaseous phase and oil phase columns in the vertically oriented fluidic separation chamber.