Method and system for mass flow balance accounting

• US 6,823,721 B1
• Filed: 12/11/2002
• Issued: 11/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hutchison-Hayes International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hutchison Hayes, L.P.
• Inventors: Hilpert, Lee, Hensley, Gary L.
• Primary Examiner(s): LARKIN, DANIEL SEAN
• Application Number:
  US10/316,804
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 73/614.1, 73/615.9, 73/616.1, 73/617.1, 73/617.2, 731/520.4, 731/521.8, 731/522.3, 731/524.2, 175/40, 175/50, 175/66, 175/206, 175/207, 210/85, 210/322, 210/767, 210/787
• US Class Current: 73/61.41
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2823 raw oil, drilling fluid or polyphasic mixtures hydrocarbon content of earth materials G01N33/241; prospecting G01V; drilling per se E21B

Abstract

A system which receives as inputs various measurements of solids and liquids in a clarification system and, from these measurements, determines the various constituents and their fractional makeup within the system. The measurements may be made manually or mechanically, but are preferably made manually. From a quantitative analysis of easily accessible sample points, data is acquired and plugged into a spread sheet program, which numerically and graphically displays the breakdown of the constituents which make up the solids and liquids discharged from a treatment stage or of the entire system.

Claims

1. A mass balance accounting system in a clarification system having at least one clarification stage, the accounting system comprising:

(a) means for measuring the flow rate of a mixture of constituents into the clarification system, the constituents comprising oil, water, and solids;

(b) means for measuring the constituents resulting from the clarification stage; and

(c) an interdependent calculator to receive the measurements of the constituents from step 1(b) and determine the fractional contributions of the constituents from the clarification stage.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for measuring the constituents includes a first stage sample point before the clarification stage and a second stage sample point after the clarification stage.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of clarification stages, and wherein the means for measuring the constituents includes a first system sample point before the plurality of clarification stages and a second system sample point after the plurality of clarification stages.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a graphical display showing the fractional contributions of the constituents from the clarification stage.

5. A method of measuring the performance of a clarification system adapted to separate oil, water, and solids constituents of a mixture, comprising the steps of:

a. measuring the flow rate of the mixture into the clarification system;

b. measuring the fractional contribution of each of the oil, water, and solids constituent into the clarification system;

c. determining the fraction of constituents separated by the clarification system; and

d. running a mass flow balance equation to determine the flow rate of the constituents resulting from the clarification system, thereby determining the performance of the clarification system by determining quantitatively the fraction of each constituent.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of displaying the result of the mass flow balance equation on a graphical user interface.