Fluid condition monitoring using energized wave signals

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017087526-A1
Application number	US-201515315835-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 1, 2015
Priority date	Jun 4, 2014
Publication date	Mar 30, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods include providing an energized wave source integrated with a container, transmitting an energized wave from the energized wave source through a first material resident in the container, receiving by a detector a first reflected energized wave from an interfacial surface formed between a surface of the first material and a first surface of a second material, receiving by the detector a second reflected energized wave from a second surface of the second material, analyzing the first reflected energized wave and the second reflected wave to identify the first material and the second material, and determining the degree of separation of the first material and the second material. The methods may further include mixing the first material and the second material to form a homogeneous mixture, and discharging the homogeneous mixture into subterranean treatment fluid preparation process equipment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
a) providing an energized wave source integrated with a container; b) transmitting an energized wave from the energized wave source through a first material resident in the container; c) receiving by a detector a first reflected energized wave from an interfacial surface formed between a surface of the first material and a first surface of a second material; d) receiving by the detector a second reflected energized wave from a second surface of the second material; e) analyzing the first reflected energized wave and the second reflected wave to identify the first material and the second material; and, f) determining the degree of separation of the first material and the second material.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
g) mixing the first material and the second material in an automated setting to form a homogeneous mixture; and,
h) discharging the homogeneous mixture into subterranean treatment fluid preparation process equipment.

3 . The method of claim 2 further comprising determining the degree of separation of the first material and the second material during the mixing the first material and the second material.

4 . The method of claim 2 wherein the first material and the second material are miscible.

5 . The method of claim 2 wherein the first material and the second material are immiscible.

6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the homogeneous mixture is an emulsion.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the energized wave is an ultrasonic wave, a sonar wave, an electro-magnetic wave, a radio wave, or a light wave.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the container further comprises a level sensor disposed therein.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the level sensor is an acoustic sensor, a radar sensor, or an optics based sensor.

10 . A method comprising:
a) providing an energized wave source integrated with a container; b) transmitting an energized wave from the energized wave source to a first surface of a first material resident in the container; c) receiving by a detector a first reflected energized wave from the first surface of the first material; d) receiving by the detector a second reflected energized wave from an interfacial surface formed between a surface of the first material and a first surface of a second material; e) receiving by the detector a third reflected energized wave from a second surface of the second material; f) analyzing the first reflected energized wave and the second reflected energized wave to identify the first material and the second material, and to determine the degree of separation of the first material and the second material; and, g) analyzing the first reflected energized wave, the second reflected energized wave and the third reflected energized wave to ascertain volumes of the first material and the second material resident in the container.

11 . The method of claim 10 further comprising:
h) mixing the first material and the second material in an automated setting to form a homogeneous mixture; and,
i) discharging the homogeneous mixture into subterranean treatment fluid preparation process equipment.

12 . The method of claim 11 further comprising determining the degree of separation of the first material and the second material during the mixing the first material and the second material.

13 . The method of claim 11 wherein the first material and the second material are miscible.

14 . The method of claim 11 wherein the first material and the second material are immiscible.

15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the homogeneous mixture is an emulsion.

16 . The method of claim 10 wherein the energized wave is an ultrasonic wave, a sonar wave, an electro-magnetic wave, a radio wave, or a light wave.

17 . The method of claim 10 wherein the container further comprises a level sensor disposed therein.

18 . The method of claim 17 wherein the level sensor is an acoustic sensor, a radar sensor, or an optics based sensor.

19 . A method comprising:
a) providing a container with at least one tube vertically disposed therein, wherein an energized wave source and a detector are connected the at least one tube; b) transmitting an energized wave from the energized wave source longitudinally along the length of the at least one tube through each of a plurality of layers of material resident in the container; c) receiving a plurality of reflected energized waves from the energized wave transmitted longitudinally through the length of the at least one tube along each of the plurality of layers; and, d) analyzing each of the reflected energized waves to identify material forming each of the each of the plurality of layers.

20 . The method of claim 19 further comprising determining the degree of separation within the material forming the plurality of layers.

21 . The method of claim 20 further comprising ascertaining volume of separate materials resident in the container.

22 . The method of claim 20 further comprising:
e) mixing the plurality of layers to form a homogeneous mixture in an automated setting; and,
f) discharging the homogeneous mixture into subterranean treatment fluid preparation process equipment.

23 . The method of claim 22 further comprising determining the degree of separation of the plurality of layers material during the mixing.

24 . The method of claim 22 wherein the plurality of layers are miscible.

25 . The method of claim 22 wherein the plurality of layers are immiscible.

26 . The method of claim 25 wherein the homogeneous mixture is an emulsion.

27 . The method of claim 19 wherein the energized wave is an ultrasonic wave, a sonar wave, an electro-magnetic wave, a radio wave, or a light wave.

28 . The method of claim 19 wherein the container further comprises a level sensor disposed therein.

29 . The method of claim 28 wherein the level sensor is an acoustic sensor, a radar sensor, or an optics based sensor.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Luharuka Rajesh

Classifications

• G01F23/2962

  Measuring transit time of reflected waves · CPC title

• G01F23/28

  by measuring the variations of parameters of electromagnetic or acoustic waves applied directly to the liquid or fluent solid material · CPC title

• G01F23/284 Primary

  Electromagnetic waves · CPC title

• G01F23/296

  Acoustic waves · CPC title

• G01F23/292

  Light {, e.g. infrared or ultraviolet} · CPC title