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US 12,529,452 B2Granted
Multiphase flow instability control
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsKjetil Havre, Christian Trudvang, Gustav Kjorrefjord
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method can include detecting instability of multiphase fluid flow in a multiphase fluid production system using sensor measurements from the multiphase fluid production system; and, responsive to the detection of instability, increasing gas injection into the multiphase fluid production system until a variation metric of the sensor measurements decreases to a level indicative of stable multiphase fluid flow in the multiphase fluid production system.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- injecting a gas into a multiphase fluid production system, wherein the multiphase fluid production system includes at least one mandrel, the at least one mandrel having a first bore and a second bore, the second bore having a longitudinal axis parallel to and spaced from a longitudinal axis of the first bore, wherein the gas is injected into the multiphase fluid production system via the second bore of the mandrel;
- detecting instability of multiphase fluid flow in the multiphase fluid production system using sensor measurements from the multiphase fluid production system;
- and
- responsive to the detection of instability, increasing the gas injection into the multiphase fluid production system until a variation metric of the sensor measurements decreases to a level indicative of stable multiphase fluid flow in the multiphase fluid production system,
- wherein the mandrel further comprises:
- one or more ports disposed through a sidewall of the mandrel in fluid communication with an annulus formed between the mandrel and an inner surface of a casing of the multiphase fluid production system;
- and
- a gas lift valve disposed in the second bore, the gas lift valve providing fluid communication between the annulus and the first bore of the mandrel via the one or more ports.
5 more elements
A system comprising:
- a processor;
- memory accessible by the processor;
- and
- processor-executable instructions stored in the memory wherein the instructions comprise instructions to instruct the system to:
- inject a gas into a multiphase fluid production system, wherein the multiphase fluid production system includes at least one mandrel, the at least one mandrel having a first bore and a second bore, the second bore having a longitudinal axis parallel to and spaced from a longitudinal axis of the first bore, wherein the gas is injected into the multiphase fluid production system via the second bore of the mandrel;
- detect instability of multiphase fluid flow in the multiphase fluid production system using sensor measurements from the multiphase fluid production system;
- and
- responsive to the detection of instability, increase the gas injection into the multiphase fluid production system until a variation metric of the sensor measurements decreases to a level indicative of stable multiphase fluid flow in the multiphase fluid production system,
- wherein the mandrel further comprises:
- one or more ports disposed through a sidewall of the mandrel in fluid communication with an annulus formed between the mandrel and an inner surface of a casing of the multiphase fluid production system;
- and
- a gas lift valve disposed in the second bore, the gas lift valve providing fluid communication between the annulus and the first bore of the mandrel via the one or more ports.
9 more elements
One or more computer-readable storage media comprising computer-executable instructions executable by a computer, the instructions comprising instructions to:
- inject a gas into a multiphase fluid production system, wherein the multiphase fluid production system includes at least one mandrel, the at least one mandrel having a first bore and a second bore, the second bore having a longitudinal axis parallel to and spaced from a longitudinal axis of the first bore, wherein the gas is injected into the multiphase fluid production system via the second bore of the mandrel;
- detect instability of multiphase fluid flow in the multiphase fluid production system using sensor measurements from the multiphase fluid production system;
- and
- responsive to the detection of instability, increase the gas injection into the multiphase fluid production system until a variation metric of the sensor measurements decreases to a level indicative of stable multiphase fluid flow in the multiphase fluid production system,
- wherein the mandrel further comprises:
- one or more ports disposed through a sidewall of the mandrel in fluid communication with an annulus formed between the mandrel and an inner surface of a casing of the multiphase fluid production system;
- and
- a gas lift valve disposed in the second bore, the gas lift valve providing fluid communication between the annulus and the first bore of the mandrel via the one or more ports.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.