# US 2024/0200445 A1 · Method and system for water cut sensing in an oil-water flow

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- Number: US 2024/0200445 A1
- Document ID: US20240200445A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/535,964
- Filed: 2023-12-11
- Published: 2024-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2022-12-19
- Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company; King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
- Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company; King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
- Inventors: Mhanna Mhanna; Muhammad Arsalan; Mohamed Sy; Aamir Farooq
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240200445A1

## CPC

- E21B 49/0875: {determining specific fluid parameters}
- G01F 1/74: Devices for measuring flow of a fluid or flow of a fluent solid material in suspension in another fluid
- G01N 21/3577: for analysing liquids, e.g. polluted water
- G01N 21/359: using near infrared light
- G01N 21/39: using tunable lasers
- G01N 21/85: Investigating moving fluids or granular solids
- G01N 33/1833: {Oil in water}
- G01N 33/2823: {Raw oil, drilling fluid or polyphasic mixtures}
- G01N 33/2847: {Water in oils}
- G01N 2021/399: {Diode laser}
- G01N 2201/08: Optical fibres; light guides
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A system for water cut sensing in an oil-water flow includes a laser-based spectroscopy sensor and a computer system. The laser-based spectroscopy sensor includes a first set of lasers that expose the oil-water flow to a first incident signal, a first photodetector that collects a first transmitted signal, the first transmitted signal being a component of the first incident signal transmitted through the oil-water flow, a second set of lasers that expose the oil-water flow to a second incident signal, and a second photodetector that collects a second transmitted signal, the second transmitted signal being a component of the second incident signal transmitted through the oil-water flow. The computer system that calculates the water cut of the oil-water flow based on the first transmitted signal and the second transmitted signal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for water cut sensing in an oil-water flow, the system comprising:
a laser-based spectroscopy sensor comprising:
a first plurality of lasers that expose the oil-water flow to a first incident signal;
a first photodetector that collects a first transmitted signal, the first transmitted signal being a component of the first incident signal transmitted through the oil-water flow;
a second plurality of lasers that expose the oil-water flow to a second incident signal;
and a second photodetector that collects a second transmitted signal, the second transmitted signal being a component of the second incident signal transmitted through the oil-water flow; and
a computer system that calculates the water cut of the oil-water flow based on the first transmitted signal and the second transmitted signal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of lasers comprises three distributed feedback lasers.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein each laser of the first plurality of lasers and each laser of the second plurality of lasers is configured to scan a spectral range of 20 cm−1.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of lasers is configured to scan a spectral range of 7140-7200 cm−1.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of lasers is configured to scan a spectral range of 5210-5270 cm−1.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a quartz flow loop accommodating the oil-water flow.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the quartz flow loop comprises a section providing a 1 mm sampling length for the laser-based spectroscopy sensor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the quartz flow loop comprises a section providing a 3 mm sampling length for the laser-based spectroscopy sensor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, further comprising:
a pump that establishes the oil-water flow in the quartz flow loop.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a first fiber combiner that combines outputs of the first plurality of lasers to form the first incident signal; and
a second fiber combiner that combines outputs of the second plurality of lasers to form the second incident signal.

### Claim 11

A method for water cut sensing in an oil-water flow, the method comprising:
exposing the oil-water flow to a first incident signal emitted by a first plurality of lasers;
collecting, by a first photodetector, a first transmitted signal, the first transmitted signal being a component of the first incident signal transmitted through the oil-water flow;
exposing the oil-water flow to a second incident signal emitted by a second plurality of lasers; and
collecting, by a second photodetector, a second transmitted signal, the second transmitted signal being a component of the second incident signal transmitted through the oil-water flow; and
calculating the water cut of the oil-water flow based on the first transmitted signal and the second transmitted signal.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the first plurality of lasers comprises three distributed feedback lasers.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein each laser of the first plurality of lasers and each laser of the second plurality of lasers is configured to scan a spectral range of 20 cm−1.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the first plurality of lasers is configured to scan a spectral range of 7140-7200 cm−1.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the second plurality of lasers is configured to scan a spectral range of 5210-5270 cm−1.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the oil-water flow circulates in a quartz flow loop.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the quartz flow loop comprises a section providing a 1 mm sampling length for the laser-based spectroscopy sensor.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the quartz flow loop comprises a section providing a 3 mm sampling length for the laser-based spectroscopy sensor.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising establishing the oil-water flow in the quartz flow loop by a pump.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising:
combining, using a first fiber combiner, outputs of the first plurality of lasers to form the first incident signal; and
combining, using a second fiber combiner, outputs of the second plurality of lasers to form the second incident signal.