In-well full-bore multiphase flowmeter for horizontal wellbores

• US 9,383,476 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2013
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC (Weatherford International PLC)
• Original Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC (Weatherford International PLC)
• Inventors: Trehan, Sumeet, Unalmis, Omer Haldun
• Primary Examiner(s): TSAI, CAROL S W
• Application Number:
  US13/934,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20140012507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 702/12, 702/100, 702/189, 73/614.5, 73/615.4, 738/616.3, 738/612.3, 738/610.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/10 Locating fluid leaks, intrusions or movements
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/34 by measuring pressure or differential pressure
• 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 15/024 involving digital counting
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02433 Gases in liquids, e.g. bubbles, foams
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02809 Concentration of a compound, e.g. measured by a surface mass change
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/024 by measuring propagation velocity or propagation time of acoustic waves
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2841 gas in oil, e.g. hydrogen in insulating oil
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2847 Water in oil basic sediment and water G01N33/2823; oil in water G01N33/1833
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 9/26 by measuring pressure differences
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/002 Details, e.g. power supply systems for logging instruments, transmitting or recording data, specially adapted for well logging, also if the prospecting method is irrelevant means for transmitting well survey signals E21B47/12; signal transmission systems in general G08C; transmission in general H04B

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for measuring individual phase fractions and phase flow rates in a multiphase flow based on velocity of the flow, speed of sound through the fluid mixture, and the density of the fluid mixture. Techniques presented herein are based on measuring frictional pressure drop across a flowmeter conduit, determining a surface roughness term for the conduit during initial flow tests or through other mechanical means, implementing a correction method to balance the momentum equation, and calculating the fluid mixture density using the measured pressure drop. The techniques may be applicable to measuring flow parameters in horizontally oriented conduits and, more generally, conduits of any orientation.

Claims

1. A method for determining one or more flow rates of phase components of a fluid mixture flowing in a conduit, comprising:

calculating or measuring a surface roughness parameter associated with the conduit;

measuring a bulk velocity and a speed of sound of the fluid mixture;

determining a differential pressure between two points in the conduit;

calculating, by a processor, a density of the fluid mixture as a function of the differential pressure, the bulk velocity, and the surface roughness parameter associated with the conduit, wherein calculating the density comprises utilizing one or more theoretical fluid flow relationships that relate differential pressure of a fluid flow to bulk velocity, density, and a friction coefficient of the conduit based on the surface roughness parameter; and

calculating at least one of phase fractions or the one or more flow rates of the phase components of the fluid mixture, using the speed of sound, the bulk velocity, and the calculated density.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the surface roughness parameter associated with the conduit was previously calculated based on differential pressure and bulk velocity measurements for a fluid flow having a known density.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

periodically measuring differential pressure and velocity for the fluid flow having the known density; and

updating the surface roughness parameter associated with the conduit based on the periodically measured differential pressure and velocity.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing data regarding a change in the surface roughness parameter over time; and

adjusting a previously determined surface roughness parameter as a function of the elapsed time since the surface roughness parameter was last determined.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the surface roughness parameter associated with the conduit was previously measured using a roughness measuring device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein calculating the density of the fluid mixture comprises calculating a correction factor for the conduit to compensate for a discrepancy between measured fluid flow parameters and theoretical equations relating the parameters.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the phase components comprise individual oil, gas, and water phases.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the conduit is horizontally oriented.

9. An apparatus for determining one or more flow rates of phase components of a fluid mixture in a conduit, comprising:

a processing system configured to;

calculate or measure a surface roughness parameter associated with the conduit;

determine a bulk velocity and a speed of sound of the fluid mixture;

determine a differential pressure between two points in the conduit;

calculate a density of the fluid mixture as a function of the differential pressure, the bulk velocity, and the surface roughness parameter associated with the conduit, wherein the processing system is configured to calculate the density of the fluid mixture by utilizing one or more theoretical fluid flow relationships that relate differential pressure of a fluid flow to bulk velocity, density, and a friction coefficient of the conduit based on the surface roughness parameter; and

calculate at least one of phase fractions or the one or more flow rates of the phase components of the fluid mixture, using the speed of sound, the bulk velocity, and the calculated density; and

a memory coupled to the processing system.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the surface roughness parameter associated with the conduit was previously calculated based on differential pressure and bulk velocity measurements for a fluid flow having a known density.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

periodically determine differential pressure and velocity for the fluid flow having the known density; and

update the surface roughness parameter associated with the conduit based on the periodically determined differential pressure and velocity.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the memory is configured to store data regarding a change in the surface roughness parameter over time and wherein the processing system is configured to adjust a previously determined surface roughness parameter as a function of the elapsed time since the surface roughness parameter was last determined.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the surface roughness parameter associated with the conduit was previously measured using a roughness measuring device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processing system is configured to calculate the density of the fluid mixture by calculating a correction factor for the conduit to compensate for a discrepancy between measured fluid flow parameters and theoretical equations relating the parameters.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the phase components comprise individual oil, gas, and water phases.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for determining one or more flow rates of phase components of a fluid mixture flowing in a conduit, comprising instructions which, when executed by a processing system, perform operations including:

calculating or measuring a surface roughness parameter associated with the conduit;

measuring a bulk velocity and a speed of sound of the fluid mixture;

determining a differential pressure between two points in the conduit;

calculating a density of the fluid mixture as a function of the differential pressure, the bulk velocity, and the surface roughness parameter associated with the conduit, wherein calculating the density comprises utilizing one or more theoretical fluid flow relationships that relate differential pressure of a fluid flow to bulk velocity, density, and a friction coefficient of the conduit based on the surface roughness parameter; and

calculating at least one of phase fractions or the one or more flow rates of the phase components of the fluid mixture, using the speed of sound, the bulk velocity, and the calculated density.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the surface roughness parameter associated with the conduit was previously calculated based on differential pressure and bulk velocity measurements for a fluid flow having a known density.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the surface roughness parameter associated with the conduit was previously measured using a roughness measuring device.