Fiber optic sensor and sensing system for hydrocarbon flow

A fluid conveying apparatus, comprising:

• a flowline having a passageway extending axially therethrough;
• a fluid communicating through the flowline, the fluid having a fluid pressure;
• a fiber optic cable disposed within and extending along a length of the passageway of the flowline, the fiber optic cable experiencing a mechanical strain responsive to variations in the fluid pressure of the fluid communicating through the passageway of the flowline along the length of the flowline;
• and
• an enhancing layer surrounding the fiber optic cable that is more responsive to the fluid pressure of the fluid communicating through the passageway of the cable than the fiber optic cable, the enhancing layer enhancing the responsiveness of the fiber optic cable to the pressure by magnifying the mechanical strain associated with the fiber optic cable within a particular region of varying fluid pressure.

A fluid conveying apparatus, comprising:

• a flowline for transporting fluids produced from a well, the flowline having a passageway extending axially therethrough, and a length associated with the axis of the flowline;
• a fluid communicating through the flowline, the fluid having a fluid pressure;
• a fiber optic core disposed axially within the passageway of the flowline, the fiber optic core experiencing a mechanical strain responsive to variations in the fluid pressure of the fluid communicating through the passageway of the flowline along the length of the flowline;
• an enhancing layer surrounding the fiber optic core that is more responsive to the fluid pressure of the fluid communicating through the passageway of the cable than the fiber optic core, the enhancing layer enhancing the responsiveness of the fiber optic core to the pressure by magnifying the mechanical strain associated with the fiber optic core within a particular region of varying fluid pressure;
• and
• a fiber optic measurement instrumentation exterior of the flowline that sends light signals into the fiber optic core and measures a frequency shift of back-reflected light from the fiber optic core.