Determining fluid parameters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11519767-B2
Application number	US-202017014805-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2020
Priority date	Sep 8, 2020
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

A flow measurement assembly that includes a production string and a flow meter fluidically coupled to the production string. The flow meter includes a variable Venturi tube attached to and configured to flow production fluid received from the production string. The variable Venturi tube includes an end fixed to the production string and at least one Venturi throat. The flow meter also includes an actuator configured to move the variable Venturi tube with respect to the fixed end. The flow meter includes a processor communicatively coupled sensors coupled to the variable Venturi tube. The processor determines, based on a first fluid parameter and the second fluid parameter received from the sensors, at least one of a mass flow rate of the production fluid, a density of the production fluid, a viscosity of the production fluid, or a coefficient of discharge of the production fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flow measurement device comprising:
a flexible bellow assembly fluidically coupled to and configured to flow fluid received from a pipe, the flexible bellow assembly comprising an end fixed to the pipe and a throat of reduced diameter, the throat residing between a first flexible portion of the flexible bellow assembly converging along a flow direction of the fluid and a second flexible portion of the flexible bellow assembly diverging along the flow direction of the fluid;
an actuator coupled to the flexible bellow assembly, the actuator configured to move a wall of the flexible bellow assembly with respect to the fixed end of the flexible bellow assembly to change a cross section of the throat and a position of the throat such that the actuator moves the throat toward or away from the fixed end; and
a plurality of sensors coupled to the flexible bellow assembly, a first sensor of the plurality of sensors coupled to the first flexible portion of the flexible bellow assembly and a second sensor of the plurality of sensors coupled to the second flexible portion of the flexible bellow assembly, the first sensor configured to detect at least one fluid parameter of the fluid flowing upstream of the throat and the second sensor configured to detect at least one fluid parameter of the fluid flowing downstream of the throat.

2. The flow measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the flow measurement device is attached and in fluid communication with a downhole section of a production string disposed within a production wellbore.

3. The flow measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a movable arm fixed to the throat of the flexible bellow assembly such that horizontal movement of the arm compresses one of the first flexible portion or the second flexible portion and extends the other of the first flexible portion or the second flexible portion.

4. The flow measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to change, in side view, a shape of the flexible bellow assembly from a first shape to a second shape different than the first shape, and the plurality of sensors are configured to detect the fluid parameters with the flexible bellow assembly in the first shape, the second shape, and between the first shape and second shape.

5. The flow measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible bellow assembly comprises a second throat of reduced dimeter and a third throat of reduced diameter, the throat of the flexible bellow assembly disposed between the second throat and the third throat and defining an inner diameter smaller than an inner dimeter of the second throat and smaller than an inner diameter of the third throat.

6. The flow measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible bellow assembly comprises a second end opposite the fixed end, the second end coupled to a dismantle flexible joint attached to the actuator, the actuator configured to move a sleeve of the dismantle flexible joint along a direction parallel to the flow direction of the fluid to change the position and a cross section of the throat.

7. The flow measurement device of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure vessel coupled to the pipe and disposed outside the flexible bellow assembly, the pressure vessel configured to retain fluid leaked through the flexible bellow assembly, wherein the actuator is attached to an exterior surface of the pressure vessel, the actuator configured to receive instructions from an operator or a controller to change the position and cross section of the throat.

8. The flow measurement device of claim 7 , wherein the pressure vessel is attached, at a first end of the vessel, to a fluid outlet of a first section of the pipe and attached, at a second end of the vessel opposite the first end, to a fluid inlet of a second section of the pipe, and the flexible bellow assembly comprises a fluid inlet at the first end fluidically coupled to the fluid outlet of the first section of the pipe, and comprises a fluid outlet at the second end fluidically coupled to the fluid inlet of the second section of the pipe.

9. The flow measurement device of claim 1 , further comprising a stiffening ring disposed around the flexible bellow assembly and forming, together with the flexible bellow assembly, the throat, the stiffening ring defining an inner diameter less than an inner diameter of the flexible bellow assembly, and wherein the actuator comprises a movable arm attached to the stiffening ring and configured to move the stiffening ring in a direction parallel and perpendicular with respect to a flow direction of the fluid to change a location and cross section of the throat.

10. The flow measurement device of claim 9 , wherein the actuator is configured to change a beta ratio of the flexible bellow assembly by increasing or reducing the inner diameter of the stiffening ring.

11. The flow measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to change an inner diameter of the throat, a pitch angle of the first flexible portion, a length of the first flexible portion, a pitch angle of the second flexible portion, and a length of the second flexible portion.

12. The flow measurement device of claim 11 , wherein the actuator is configured to change the pitch angle of the first flexible portion, the length of the first flexible portion, the pitch angle of the second flexible portion, and the length of the second flexible portion without altering a beta ratio of the flexible bellow assembly.

13. The flow measurement device of claim 1 , further comprising a processor communicatively coupled to the plurality of sensors, the controller processor configured to determine, based on fluid parameters received from the sensors, at least one a mass flow rate of the fluid, a density of the fluid, a coefficient of discharge of the fluid, or a viscosity of the fluid.

14. The flow measurement device of claim 13 , wherein the flow measurement device is attached to a production string disposed within a wellbore, two of the plurality of sensors reside at a common cross section of the flexible bellow assembly, the two sensors spaced circumferentially by 90° from each other, the fluid parameters include a strain or pressure number from each of the two sensors, and the processor is configured to determine, based on a difference between the respective strain or pressure numbers of the two sensors, an angle of inclination of the flow measurement device with respect to a surface of the wellbore.

15. The flow measurement device of claim 13 , wherein the flexible a bellow assembly comprises a second throat of reduced diameter and disposed downstream or upstream of the throat, the second throat residing between a third flexible portion of the flexible bellow assembly converging along a flow direction of the fluid and a fourth flexible portion of the flexible bellow assembly diverging along the flow direction of the fluid, the first flexible portion comprises an internal surface roughness different than an internal surface roughness of the third flexible portion, and the plurality of sensors comprises a third sensor coupled to the third portion and a fourth sensor coupled to the fourth flexible portion of the flexible bellow assembly, and the processor is configured to determine, based on a difference between a strain or pressure at the first flexible portion and a strain or pressure at the third flexible portion, a viscosity of the fluid.

16. The flow measurement device of claim 13 , wherein the flexible bellow assembly defines a second throat of reduced diameter and disposed downstream or upstream

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Mahalingam Sakethraman
• Arsalan Muhammad

Classifications

• E21B47/10

  Locating fluid leaks, intrusions or movements · CPC title

• G01N11/08

  by measuring pressure required to produce a known flow · CPC title

• G01N9/32

  by using flow properties of fluids, e.g. flow through tubes or apertures · CPC title

• G01N33/2823

  Raw oil, drilling fluid or polyphasic mixtures · CPC title

• E21B49/0875

  determining specific fluid parameters · CPC title