Method and apparatus for acquiring data in a hydrocarbon well in production
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsEric Veignat, Fadhel Rezgui, Jean-Pierre Chyzak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
To acquire data such as the flow rate of various phases of a fluid flowing in a hydrocarbon well (12) in production, in particular in an inclined or horizontal portion of the well, both the local speed of the fluid and the proportions of the various phases are determined in each of at least two distinct regions of the well that are not in alignment with one another parallel to the axis of the well. The regions in which the measurements are taken are advantageously distributed in a vertical plane containing the axis of the well when the well is inclined or horizontal.
Claims13
A method of determining flow rates in a multiphase fluid flowing in a well, comprising:
- positioning an apparatus in the well, said apparatus being provided with a main body portion that automatically lies in the bottom of the well when said well is inclined or horizontal the well having a longitudinal axis, the bottom of the well being deed by the bottom generator line of the inclined or horizontal well;
- providing said main body portion with a first pair of sensors, said pair comprising a speed sensor for measuring local speed of the flowing fluid and a proportion sensor for measuring local proportions of the flowing fluid;
- measuring with said first pair of sensors in the vicinity of said main body portion a first pair of measurements:
- (a) the local speed of the flowing fluid;
- and
- (b) the local proportions of the flowing fluid;
- measuring in a first region of the well a second pair of measurements:
- (c) the local speed of the flowing fluid in a first location of the well;
- and
- (d) the local proportions of the flowing fluid in a second location of the well, such that said first and second locations are in alignment with each other on a line parallel to the longitudinal axis of the well;
- measuring simultaneously in a second region of the well a third pair of measurements of said local speed and said local proportions, wherein the first and the second regions are in the same plane containing the longitudinal axis of the well.
Apparatus for determining flow rates in a multiphase fluid flowing in a well, the well having a longitudinal axis, comprising:
- a tool body to be positioned in the well, said tool body comprising:
- a main body portion that automatically lies in the bottom of the well when said well in inclined or horizontal, the bottom of the well being defined by the bottom generator line of the inclined or horizontal well;
- and
- at least a deployable arm that is supported by the main body portion at one end and that can be deployed from a position inside said main body portion to a position where it occupies the entire diameter of the well;
- a first sensor pair mounted on said main body portion, said first sensor pair comprising a speed sensor for measuring local speed of the flowing fluid in the vicinity of said main body portion and a proportion sensor for measuring the local proportions of the flowing fluid in the vicinity of said main body portion;
- a second and a third sensor pairs, each sensor pair comprising:
- speed sensor mounted on the deployable arm for measuring local speed of the flowing fluid in a first location of the well;
- and
- proportion sensor mounted on the deployable arm for measuring local proportions of the fluid flowing in a second location of the well;
- wherein said speed and proportion sensors are arranged such that said first and second locations are in alignment with each other on a line parallel to the longitudinal axis of the well;
- wherein said second and third sensor pairs lie in the same plane containing the axis of the well.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.