Representative sampling of multiphase fluids

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10416015-B2
Application number	US-201615204207-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2016
Priority date	Jul 7, 2016
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

A technique facilitates evaluation of a fluid, such as a fluid produced from a well. The technique utilizes a modular and mobile system for testing flows of fluid which may comprise mixtures of constituents, and for sampling fluids thereof. The multiphase sampling method includes flowing a multiphase fluid comprising an oil phase and a water phase through a first conduit, the oil phase and water phase at least partially separating in the first conduit, mixing together the oil phase and water phase to form a mixed bulk liquid phase by flowing the multiphase fluid through a flow mixer toward a second conduit downstream the flow mixer, sampling a portion of the mixed bulk liquid phase at location at or within the second conduit, wherein the sampled portion of the mixed bulk liquid phase has a water-to-liquid ratio (WLR) representative of the pre-mixed oil phase and water phase.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of sampling a multiphase fluid, comprising:
flowing a multiphase fluid comprising an oil phase and a water phase through a first conduit, the oil phase and water phase at least partially separating in the first conduit;
mixing together the oil phase and water phase to form a mixed bulk liquid phase by flowing the multiphase fluid through a flow mixer toward a second conduit downstream of the flow mixer;
sampling a portion of the mixed bulk liquid phase at a location at or within the second conduit, wherein the sampled portion of the mixed bulk liquid phase has a water-to-liquid ratio (WLR) representative of the pre-mixed oil phase and water phase;
wherein the first conduit has a first blind leg section and the second conduit has a second blind leg section, and wherein an outlet of the flow mixer faces the second blind leg section of the second conduit and the sampled portion of mixed bulk liquid phase is taken at a location proximate the second blind leg section.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein sampling the portion of the mixed bulk liquid phase is a non-isokinetic sampling.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flow mixer is a venturi.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flow mixer is a multiphase venturi flow meter.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining the water-to-liquid ratio (WLR) of the sampled portion of the mixed liquid phase.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein sampling the portion of the mixed liquid phase is taken at a single-point either within the multiphase fluid within the second conduit proximate the second blind leg section or at the second blind leg section.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein sampling the portion of the mixed liquid phase is taken within the second conduit at a location adjacent an outlet of the flow mixer.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein sampling the portion of the mixed liquid phase is taken at a location adjacent an inner wall of the second conduit and downstream of the flow mixer.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first conduit is disposed in a substantially horizontal position.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flow mixer is disposed in at least one of a substantially vertical position and a position substantially perpendicular to the first conduit.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein flowing the multiphase fluid through a flow mixer toward the second blind leg section comprises flowing the multiphase fluid in at least one of an upward direction and against gravitational pull.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Xie Cheng-Gang
• Zhu Jianhua
• Vilstrup Alexander Tuborg
• Jolivet Guillaume
• Wang Shasha

Classifications

• G01N2001/205

  using a valve · CPC title

• G01N1/38

  Diluting, dispersing or mixing samples · CPC title

• G01F1/44

  Venturi tubes · CPC title

• G01F1/74 Primary

  Devices for measuring flow of a fluid or flow of a fluent solid material in suspension in another fluid · CPC title

• B01F5/0652

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic