Fluid flow monitor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- optically coupling an interrogator to an end of a sensor optical fibre disposed along a length of a conduit containing a fluid, to form a distributed optical fibre sensor;
using the interrogator to measure vibration signals as a function of both time and distance along the fibre by detecting properties of light backscattered within the fibre;
tracking movement along the optical fibre of at least one spatially localized feature in the vibration signals; and
determining a measure of the fluid flow of the fluid along the conduit from said tracked movement.
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Abstract
There are disclosed methods and apparatus for monitoring fluid flow along a conduit such as a well bore or a pipeline. A sensor optical fiber is disposed along the conduit, and an optical interrogator is used to launch probe light pulses into the fiber and to determine optical properties of probe light backscattered within the fiber, the properties being indicative of vibration as a function along the fiber. An analyzer is used to detect one or more vibration features moving along the conduit and to determine a measure of fluid flow based on the detected movement.
34 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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optically coupling an interrogator to an end of a sensor optical fibre disposed along a length of a conduit containing a fluid, to form a distributed optical fibre sensor; using the interrogator to measure vibration signals as a function of both time and distance along the fibre by detecting properties of light backscattered within the fibre; tracking movement along the optical fibre of at least one spatially localized feature in the vibration signals; and determining a measure of the fluid flow of the fluid along the conduit from said tracked movement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 24, 25, 28)
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12. Apparatus for monitoring flow of a fluid along a conduit comprising:
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a sensor optical fibre disposed along said conduit which contains said fluid; a distributed optical fibre sensor optical interrogator for launching probe light pulses into said sensor optical fibre and to determine properties of said probe light backscattered within the sensor optical fibre, said properties being indicative of mechanical vibration as a function along said sensor optical fibre; and an analyser for automatically analyzing said properties so as to detect one or more spatially localised vibration features moving along said conduit, to track said one or more vibration features along said conduit, and to determine a measure of flow of the fluid along the conduit from the tracked movement of said one or more vibration features. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method comprising:
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using a distributed fibre optical sensor extending along a well bore to detect vibrational signals arising from flow of a fluid along the well bore; identifying one or more spatially localised features in said vibrational signals; tracking movement along the well bore of said spatially localised features; and monitoring flow of the fluid along the well bore using said tracked movement. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 26, 27)
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Specification