US 12,392,238 B2Granted

Well testing method using tubing hanger deployed heat tracer flow metering system

AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company

InventorsLaurie S. Duthie, Mubarak Dhufairi, Abdulaziz A. Al-Anizi, Hussain A. Saiood

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Abstract

A method includes shutting in a well and connecting a pressure control system and a tool body to an adapted tubing hanger plug. The pressure control system, tool body, and adapted tubing hanger plug are installed into a borehole, which is then opened for fluid flow. A flow rate of the fluid flow is measured with a spinner. Temperature spikes are generated using a thermal generator, and a time for the temperature spikes to travel from the thermal generator to a temperature probe is measured. A flow rate of the fluid flow is calculated based on the time. Further, physical properties of the fluid flow are measured with sensors disposed within an electronics section of the tool body. Surface and subsurface safety valves are closed, and the adapted tubing hanger plug and the tool body are retrieved from the borehole. Data is downloaded for analysis.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method, comprising:

shutting in a well and connecting a pressure control system and a tool body to an adapted tubing hanger plug;
installing the pressure control system, the tool body, and the adapted tubing hanger plug into a borehole;
opening the borehole for a fluid flow;
measuring a first flow rate of the fluid flow with a spinner;
generating one or more temperature spikes using a thermal generator;
measuring a time for the one or more temperature spikes to travel from the thermal generator to a temperature probe;
calculating a second flow rate of the fluid flow based, at least in part, on the time;
measuring one or more physical properties of the fluid flow with one or more sensors disposed within an electronics section of the tool body;
closing a surface safety valve and a subsurface safety valve;
retrieving the adapted tubing hanger plug and the tool body from the borehole;
and
downloading data for analysis of the first flow rate, the second flow rate, and the one or more physical properties.

9 more elements

A system, comprising:

an adapted tubing hanger plug configured to allow flow of a fluid from a borehole to a surface location;
a tool body extending from the adapted tubing hanger plug;
a first set of flow ports positioned at a lower axial end of the tool body and configured to allow the fluid to flow into the tool body;
a second set of flow ports positioned in a middle of the tool body and configured to allow the fluid to flow out of the tool body into an annulus formed between the tool body and a production tubing;
a third set of flow ports positioned at an upper axial end of the tool body and configured to allow the fluid to flow out of the annulus and through the adapted tubing hanger plug to a production plant positioned at the surface location;
a thermal generator configured to produce one or more temperature spikes in the fluid;
a temperature probe positioned a distance from the thermal generator and configured to measure a time for the one or more temperature spikes to travel from the thermal generator to the temperature probe;
a hydraulic packer installed in the annulus;
a hydraulic pump section configured to inflate and deflate the hydraulic packer;
an electronics section, comprising:
a first battery pack;
a first programmable controller;
a plurality of sensors configured to measure pressure data, temperature data, fluid density data, and fluid phase data;
and
a memory section configured to record the pressure data, the temperature data, the fluid density data, and the fluid phase data;
and
a spinner configured to measure flow rate of the fluid.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.