Sonar based multiphase flowmeter
AssigneeWeatherford/Lamb, Inc.
InventorEspen S. Johansen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus determine individual phase fractions for three phases within a fluid mixture. Appropriate flow algorithms can utilize this phase fraction information with a sensed total combined flow rate of the mixture to find individual flow rates for the three phases, such as oil, water and gas. For some embodiments, a multiphase flowmeter includes an array of spatially distributed pressure sensors configured to determine a speed of sound in the mixture and any type of water cut meter, oil cut meter or gas cut meter.
Claims20
An apparatus for measuring flow of a fluid mixture in a conduit, comprising:
- a speed of sound meter disposed along the conduit and configured to determine a speed of sound in the mixture;
- a phase fraction meter disposed along the conduit and configured to determine a percentage of a first phase within the fluid mixture;
- and
- a processor configured with logic to determine phase fractions of second and third phases within the fluid mixture based on evaluation of the speed of sound in combination with the percentage of the first phase.
An apparatus for measuring flow of a fluid mixture in a conduit, comprising:
- an acoustic sensing device configured to determine a speed of sound in the fluid mixture with sensors spatially distributed along the conduit to detect acoustic pressure variations traveling at the speed of sound;
- and
- a phase fraction device configured to measure a first phase fraction within the fluid mixture and derive from the first phase fraction and the speed of sound second and third phase fractions within the fluid mixture, wherein the phase fractions define separate and distinct phases within the fluid mixture.
A method of measuring flow of a fluid mixture in a conduit, comprising:
- measuring a speed of sound in the fluid mixture by sensing along the conduit acoustic pressure variations traveling at the speed of sound;
- measuring a first phase fraction within the fluid mixture;
- and
- determining second and third phase fractions within the fluid mixture utilizing the speed of sound and the first phase fraction, wherein the phase fractions define separate and distinct phases within the fluid mixture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.