Additive management system
AssigneeOneSubsea IP UK Limited
InventorsBryan A. Bussell, Peter Hayward, Ulrich Kleine, Rolf Rustad, Harald Solheim, Gro Merete Alendal, Simon Charles Holyfield, Eric Grzelak, Thomas David Bamber
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Abstract
A system including an additive management system configured to oversee hydrate formation in a hydrocarbon extraction system, the additive management system including a flow meter configured to measure a fluid flow rate, a first sensor configured to measure at least one of a fluid property and an environmental condition, and a chemical injection device configured to inject a hydrate inhibitor into a fluid flow.
Claims18
A hydrocarbon extraction system, comprising:
- an additive management system configured to oversee hydrate formation in the hydrocarbon extraction system, the additive management system comprising:
- a first sensor disposed in a wellhead system and configured to generate feedback relating to at least one parameter of a fluid flowing through the hydrocarbon extraction system;
- a first chemical injection device configured to inject a hydrate inhibitor into the fluid at a first location, where the first chemical injection device is positioned proximate to and downstream from the wellhead system;
- a memory storing a plurality of modeling programs for determining a likelihood of hydrate formation in the fluid using different parameters of the fluid;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- receive the feedback from the first sensor;
- select, from the plurality of modeling programs stored in the memory, a first modeling program for determining a likelihood of hydrate formation in the fluid at the first location using the feedback from the first sensor;
- execute the first modeling program to determine the likelihood of hydrate formation in the fluid at the first location using the feedback from the first sensor;
- and
- determine a flow rate of hydrate inhibitor to inject into the fluid using the first chemical injection device based on the likelihood of hydrate formation in the fluid at the first location.
A system, comprising:
- a controller configured to:
- receive a first feedback from a flow meter, wherein the first feedback is indicative of a flow rate of a first fluid flowing through a conduit of a hydrocarbon extraction system;
- receive a second feedback from a first sensor, wherein the second feedback is indicative of a pressure, a temperature, or a water content of the first fluid;
- receive a third feedback from a second sensor, wherein the third feedback is indicative of a concentration of a hydrate inhibitor within a second fluid;
- determine an amount and timing of injection of the hydrate inhibitor from a chemical injection metering device into the conduit to mix with the first fluid using the first feedback and the second feedback;
- and
- control a choke to increase mixing of the second fluid in the conduit to mix the hydrate inhibitor with the first fluid based on the third feedback;
- wherein the first sensor is disposed in a wellhead system and the wellhead system is positioned proximate to and upstream from the chemical injection metering device.
A method for managing hydrate formation in a hydrocarbon extraction system, the method comprising:
- receiving a flow rate of a first fluid from a flow meter;
- receiving an environmental condition from a first sensor;
- identifying a hydrate formation condition using the flow rate and the environmental condition;
- obtaining a concentration of a hydrate inhibitor within a second fluid;
- controlling injection of the hydrate inhibitor via a chemical injection metering device into the first fluid in response to the hydrate formation condition;
- and
- adjusting a choke to increase mixing of the hydrate inhibitor in response to the concentration of the hydrate inhibitor within the second fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.