Method for calibrating a device for measuring phase fractions of polyphase fluid under flow conditions, measuring method, and related device

• US 20110301899A1
• Filed: 12/11/2009
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Geoservices Equipements (SLB), Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Geoservices Equipements (SLB)
• Inventors: David, Pierre-Yves
• Granted Patent: US 9,062,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/100
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/44 Venturi tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/58 by electromagnetic flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/64 by measuring electrical currents passing through the fluid flow; measuring electrical potential generated by the fluid flow, e.g. by electrochemical, contact or friction effects G01F1/58 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/66 by measuring frequency, phase shift or propagation time of electromagnetic or other waves, e.g. using ultrasonic flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/661 using light
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/74 Devices for measuring flow of a fluid or flow of a fluent solid material in suspension in another fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/08 Air or gas separators in combination with liquid meters; Liquid separators in combination with gas-meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 25/10 of flowmeters

Abstract

This method comprises taking a first pressurized gaseous phase sample in a flow channel and transferring the first sample in the measuring channel. It comprises activating a second sensor to collect a first piece of information representative of the first pressurized sample. The method comprising taking a second pressurized liquid phase sample, transferring the second sample in the measuring channel and activating the second sensor a second piece of information representative of the second pressurized sample. The method comprises the computation of at least one calibration coefficient connecting the property to the or each piece of information received from the sensor, based on the first piece of information and the second piece of information.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating, under flow conditions, a device for measuring at least one property of a pressurized polyphase fluid circulating in a pipe (12), the property being computed using at least one piece of information received from a first sensor (58) placed opposite the fluid circulating in the pipe (12), the polyphase fluid comprising at least one liquid phase (22, 24) and a gaseous phase (20), the method comprising the following steps:

circulation of the pressurized polyphase fluid through a flow channel (70) connected to the pipe;

connecting a measuring channel (72) on the flow channel (70) via a valve manifold (74), the measuring channel (72) being provided with a second sensor (98;

58) delivering at least one piece of information similar to that delivered by the first sensor (58);

taking a first pressurized gaseous phase sample in the flow channel (70) and transferring the first pressurized gaseous phase sample in the measuring channel (72) through the valve manifold (74);

activating the second sensor (98;

58) to collect a first piece of information representative of the first pressurized sample present in the measuring channel (72);

taking at least one second sample of pressurized liquid phase and transferring the second pressurized sample into the measuring channel (72) through the valve manifold (74);

activating the second sensor (98;

58) to collect, for the second sample, at least one second piece of information representative of the second pressurized sample present in the measuring channel (72) opposite the second sensor (98;

58);

computing at least one calibration coefficient connecting the property to the or each piece of information received from the first sensor (58), based on the first piece of information and the or each second piece of information.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the polyphase fluid comprises an aqueous liquid phase (24) and an oily liquid phase (22), the step for activating the second sensor (98;

58) comprising the successive passage of the oily liquid phase (22) and the aqueous liquid phase (24) opposite the second sensor (98;

58) to successively collect a second piece of information representative of the oily liquid phase (22) and a second piece of information representative of the aqueous liquid phase (24).

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises taking a second unique liquid phase sample comprising the oily liquid phase (22) and the aqueous liquid phase (24), and the sedimentation in a vertical part (88;

46) of the measuring channel (72) of the oily liquid phase (22) above the aqueous liquid phase (24).

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises, when the second sensor (98;

58) is activated, the implementation of a stability test on the value of the signal received from the second sensor (98;

58) to determine whether the signal received from the second signal (98;

58) is stable, and the collection of each second piece of representative information when the signal received from the second sensor (98;

58) is stable.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measuring channel (72) is permanently connected on the flow channel (70), the connection step being carried out before making the polyphase fluid circulate in the flow channel (70).

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the measuring channel (72) is removably mounted on the flow channel (70), the connection of the measuring channel (72) being done after making the polyphase fluid circulate in the flow channel (70).

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measured property is chosen among the individual section of the gaseous phase and of the or each liquid phase in the pipe, and the individual density of each phase, the first sensor being chosen among a receiver for receiving gamma photons emitted by a gamma ray source, a receiver for receiving an electromagnetic signal emitted by an electromagnetic radiation source with a frequency below 60 GHz, an impedance measurement sensor, a microwave measurement sensor, and an optical measurement sensor.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a step for controlling the valves of the manifold to make it possible, without stopping the continuous flow of the polyphase fluid in the flow channel (70), to take the pressurized liquid phase sample, and to make it possible, without stopping the continuous flow of polyphase fluid in the flow channel (70), to take a pressurized gaseous phase sample.

9. A process for measuring at least one property of a polyphase fluid continuously circulating in a pipe (12), characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

calibrating the measurement by carrying out a calibration method according to any one of the preceding claims, the polyphase fluid continuously circulating through the flow channel (70);

continuously measuring the property comprising the following steps;

activating the first sensor (58) to collect a piece of information representative of the polyphase fluid circulating in the pipe (12);

computing the measured parameter based on the or each piece of representative information received from the first sensor (58) and from the or each calibration coefficient determined during the calibration step.

10. A device (10;

130;

150) for measuring at least one property of a pressurized polyphase fluid continuously circulating in a pipe (12), the polyphase fluid comprising at least one liquid phase and at least one gaseous phase (58), the device comprising a measuring assembly (30) including;

a section (34) of the pipe (12) provided with a first sensor (58) capable of interacting with the fluid circulating in the section (34) of the pipe (12) to create at least one piece of information, and

a means (60) for computing the property from the information received from the first sensor (58),

characterized in that the device comprises a calibration assembly (32) including;

a flow channel (70) of the pressurized polyphase fluid connected to the pipe (12) to allow the continuous circulation of at least part of the polyphase fluid circulating in the pipe (12) during a calibration step;

a measuring channel (72) separate from the flow channel (70), the measuring channel (72) being provided with a second sensor (98;

58) delivering at least one piece of information similar to that delivered by the first sensor (58);

a valve manifold (74) connecting the measuring channel (72) to the flow channel (70), the valve manifold (74) comprising at least one pressurized transport channel (100) for a first pressurized gaseous phase sample connecting a gaseous phase collection point (76A) in the flow channel (70) to the measuring channel (72) and to at least one transport channel (104) for transporting a second pressurized liquid phase sample connecting a liquid phase collection point (76B) on the flow channel (70) to the measuring channel (72).

11. The device (10;

150) according to claim 10, characterized in that the flow channel (70) is formed by said section (34) of the pipe (12), provided with the first sensor (58), the measuring channel (72) being formed by a bypass of the pipe (12), the second sensor (98) being separate from the first sensor (58).

12. The device (150) according to claim 11, characterized in that the measuring channel (72) is removably mounted on the flow channel (70) via the valve manifold (74).

13. The device (130) according to claim 11, characterized in that the second sensor (58) is made up of the first sensor (58), the measuring channel (72) being formed by said section (34) of the pipe (12) provided with the first sensor (58), the flow channel (70) being formed by a bypass of the pipe (12) bled upstream and downstream of the measuring channel (72).

14. The device (10;

130;

150) according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the pipe (12) defines a first venturi (36) opposite the first sensor, the measuring channel (72) defining a second venturi (90;

36) opposite the second sensor (98;

58).

15. The device (10;

130;

150) according to any one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the valves of the valve manifold (74) are capable of being controlled to make it possible, without stopping the continuous flow of polyphase fluid in the flow channel (70), to take a pressurized gaseous phase sample and transport it towards the measuring channel (72) and to make it possible, without stopping the continuous flow of polyphase fluid in the flow channel (70), to take a pressurized liquid phase sample and transport it towards the measuring channel (72).