System and Method for Sensing Flow Rate and Specific Gravity within a Wellbore
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorsMichael J. Fox, Ernesto Alejandro Vilcinskas, Howard G. Thompson
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Abstract
A device determines the specific gravity of a wellbore fluid flowing into a submersible pump. The specific gravity of the wellbore fluid is determined by measuring the pressure increase across at least two pump stages and then using fluid flow properties and known pump characteristics to back calculate the specific gravity of the wellbore fluid.
Claims21
A method for determining wellbore parameters of a wellbore fluid flowing into a submersible pump having a plurality of pump stages comprising:
- measuring a first pressure increase across a first pump stage of the submersible pump;
- measuring a second pressure increase across a second pump stage of the submersible pump;
- calculating a pressure increase ratio, wherein the pressure increase ratio is a ratio of the first pressure increase over the second pressure increase;
- determining a flow rate based upon the pressure increase ratio;
- determining a head of a selected one of the first and second pump staged based upon the flow rate;
- and
- calculating a specific gravity of the wellbore fluid using the determined head and the pressure increase of the selected one of the first and second pump stage.
A method for determining wellbore parameters of a wellbore fluid that is substantially free of free gas flowing into a centrifugal submersible pump comprising:
- providing a first pump stage and a second pump stage of the submersible pump that are rated for different flow rates;
- measuring a first pressure increase across the first pump stage of the submersible pump;
- measuring a second pressure increase across the second pump stage of the submersible pump;
- calculating a pressure increase ratio, wherein the pressure increase ratio is a ratio of the first pressure increase over the second pressure increase;
- obtaining a pump curve of flow rate versus head ratio for the first and second pump stages;
- using the calculated pressure increase ratio to determine a flow rate of the wellbore fluid based upon the pump curve of flow rate versus head ratio, wherein the pressure increase ratio and head ratio are equivalent;
- determining a head of a selected one of the first and second pump stages based upon the flow rate;
- and
- calculating a specific gravity of the wellbore fluid using the determined head and the pressure increase of the selected one of the first and second pump stage.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.