Systems and methods for analyzing multiphase production fluids
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorJose Oliverio Alvarez
Life of this patent
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Abstract
System and methods for analyzing a multiphase production fluid, calculating production fluid phase flow rates, and calculating an oil/gas and oil/gas/water volume fractions of the multiphase production fluid, are provided. Contemplated systems and method may utilize fluidic piping, a production fluid supply valve, a fluidic separation chamber, an inert gas exhaust valve, a separation chamber pressure sensor, a fluidic separation detector, and a fluidic supply and analysis unit.
Claims32
A system for analyzing a multiphase production fluid, the system comprising
- fluidic piping,
- a production fluid supply valve,
- a 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 piping is configured to supply multiphase production fluid from the production fluid supply valve to the fluidic separation chamber;
- the inert gas exhaust valve is configured to exhaust inert gas from the fluidic separation chamber;
- the separation chamber pressure sensor is configured to provide an indication of gas pressure in the fluidic separation chamber;
- and
- the fluidic supply and analysis unit is in communication with the production fluid supply valve, the inert gas exhaust valve, and the separation chamber pressure sensor, and is configured to
- communicate with the production fluid supply valve to supply a multiphase production fluid to the fluidic separation chamber,
- communicate with the separation chamber pressure sensor and the inert gas exhaust valve to stabilize gas pressure within the fluidic separation chamber,
- communicate with the fluidic separation detector to monitor a growth rate QC of a gaseous phase column of the multiphase production fluid in the fluidic separation chamber, and
- convert the growth rate QC of the gaseous phase column to a production fluid gas flow rate QG.
A method for analyzing a multiphase production fluid, the method comprising:
- supplying an inert gas to a vertically-oriented fluidic separation chamber, the inert gas being lighter than a gaseous phase of the multiphase production fluid;
- supplying at least a portion of the multiphase production fluid to the fluidic separation chamber through a production fluid supply valve;
- stabilizing a pressure of the inert gas in the fluidic separation chamber, as sensed by a separation chamber pressure sensor, as the multiphase production fluid is supplied to the fluidic separation chamber utilizing an inert gas exhaust valve;
- monitoring a growth rate QC of a gaseous phase column of the multiphase production fluid in the fluidic separation chamber, and convert the growth rate QC of the gaseous phase column to a production fluid gas flow rate QG.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.