Variable throat venturi flow meter having a plurality of section-varying elements

• US 8,464,582 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2008
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Roux, Gilles, Mouget, Pierre, Gabard-Cuoq, Cline, Chareille, Stphane
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Harshad R
• Application Number:
  US12/808,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20110185805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,677 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 73/152.29
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/10 Locating fluid leaks, intrusions or movements
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/05 by using mechanical effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/44 Venturi tubes

Abstract

A variable throat Venturi flow meter includes an upstream pipe section having an upstream cross-sectional area, a throat section having a variable throat cross-sectional area that is smaller than the upstream cross-sectional area, and a plurality of section-varying elements adapted to temporarily vary the throat cross-sectional area to allow a downhole tool to pass through the throat section.

Claims

1. A method of measuring a flow rate in a well bore, the method comprising:

deploying a variable throat Venturi flow meter in the wellbore, the variable throat Venturi flow meter comprising a throat section having a throat cross-sectional area that is variable between a first throat cross-sectional area and a second throat cross-sectional area, wherein the first throat cross-sectional area is smaller than the second throat cross-sectional area;

determining the flow rate using pressure measurements provided by the variable throat Venturi flow meter when the throat section has the first throat cross-sectional area; and

temporarily varying the throat cross-sectional area to have the second throat cross-sectional area to allow a downhole tool to pass through the throat section.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the varying the throat cross-sectional area is in response to an axial force exerted by the downhole tool.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the varying the throat cross-sectional area is in response to a command signal.