A Novel Approach to Multiphase Flow Metering Using PIV and Tracer Dilution

This paper introduces a prototype multiphase flow metering system, named Uletech, for multiphase flow measurement. The Uletech Multiphase Flow Meter (UMFM) is based on the combination of particle recognition and the use of Laser Imaging Technology in the form of Particle Imaging Velocimetry (PIV). PIV uses tracer particles which follow the gas or liquid phase. The high resolution digital laser cameras identify/recognize all the different sizes of particle (gas, oil and water) in a multiphase flow. The cameras have sufficiently high resolutions (pixel size) to "see" the tracer particles. The prevailing conditions of high pressure and temperature of the flow regimes makes actual measurement a great challenge. The velocity differences between phases (hold up and slip) means unless the velocities of individual phases and concentrations are known, the true flow rate is practically impossible to obtain. The system comprised of two cameras, laser source, optical arrangement, computer data acquisition system, synchronizer and MATLAB based software. An algorithm that correlates the cameras view to the volume within the pipe has been developed through this research. The computer acquires image signals from the upstream and/or downstream cameras, and carries out the calculation of cross correlation between the two image frames so that the velocity of each pixel can be found. A Gas Liquid Chromatograph (GLC) provides the composition (concentration) of the gas and the liquid hydrocarbon (HC). The product of phase velocity and phase concentration provides the flow rate of the individual phase. This work provides theoretical analysis and experimental validations, and discusses the advantages of the system and its further development.

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Implementation of Instrumentalised Virtual Multiphase Flow Metering Technology in the Wells of the Vostochno-Makarovskoye Gas Condensate Field

10.2118/202001-ms ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Andrey Zozulya ◽

Vladimir Baranov ◽

Mikhail Miletski ◽

Konstantin Rymarenko ◽

Marat Nukhaev ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiphase Flow ◽

Liquid Hydrocarbon ◽

Operating Conditions ◽

Gas Condensate ◽

Flow Measurements ◽

Hydrocarbon Production ◽

Flow Meters ◽

Well Production ◽

Track Record ◽

Flow Metering

Summary Liquid hydrocarbon quantity optimization is among key technological indicators in the gas condensate fields development. To achieve it one needs to select and maintain optimal well-operating conditions. In this case, multiphase flow measurements are prioritized as an important optimization tool. The article presents a proven record of implementing the technology of instrumentalised virtual multiphase flow metering in the wells of the Vostochno-Makarovskoye gas condensate field to increase the efficiency of liquid hydrocarbon production. Virtual flow metering technologies that use modeling methods and adapt models to actual well-operating parameters aiming at determining well production rates are becoming increasingly popular. At that, the quality of the data at the model input does not often guarantee a qualitative determination of multiphase flow parameters. This article presents a track record of building a virtual multiphase flow meter based on single-phase streamer flow meters mounted on gas wells. Venturi flow meters were used. A series of well tests were conducted in various modes. To configure the streamer model, additional tuning studies were conducted on the separator. While testing the wells, the results of constructing a streamer model were verified by nodal analysis.

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A NOVEL APPROACH TO TURBULENT MULTIPHASE FLOW IMAGING: FLOW IN 3D PRINTED KARSTIC CONDUITS

10.1130/abs/2016am-285178 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Samuel N. Jacobson ◽

◽

Ellen K. Herman ◽

Dorothy J. Vesper ◽

Johnathan E. Moore ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiphase Flow ◽

Flow Imaging ◽

Novel Approach ◽

3D Printed

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A new FPGA-based terahertz (THz) imaging device for multiphase flow metering

Terahertz, RF, Millimeter, and Submillimeter-Wave Technology and Applications XIV ◽

10.1117/12.2593071 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Faisal Shehaz

Keyword(s):

Multiphase Flow ◽

Thz Imaging ◽

Imaging Device ◽

Flow Metering

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Coupled Heat and Mass Transfer CFD Model for Methane Hydrate

Volume 10: Petroleum Technology ◽

10.1115/omae2015-42258 ◽

2015 ◽

Author(s):

Eugenio Turco Neto ◽

M. A. Rahman ◽

Syed Imtiaz ◽

Thiago dos Santos Pereira ◽

Fernanda Soares de Sousa

Keyword(s):

Natural Gas ◽

Multiphase Flow ◽

Gas Hydrate ◽

Gas Flow ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Hydrate Formation ◽

Cfd Model ◽

Flow Metering ◽

Ansys Cfx ◽

Gas Hydrate Formation

The gas hydrates problem has been growing in offshore deep water condition where due to low temperature and high pressure hydrate formation becomes more favorable. Several studies have been done to predict the influence of gas hydrate formation in natural gas flow pipeline. However, the effects of multiphase hydrodynamic properties on hydrate formation are missing in these studies. The use of CFD to simulate gas hydrate formation can overcome this gap. In this study a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model has been developed for mass, heat and momentum transfer for better understanding natural gas hydrate formation and its migration into the pipelines using ANSYS CFX-14. The problem considered in this study is a three-dimensional multiphase-flow model based on Simon Lo (2003) study, which considered the oil-dominant flow in a pipeline with hydrate formation around water droplets dispersed into the oil phase. The results obtained in this study will be useful in designing a multiphase flow metering and a pump to overcome the pressure drop caused by hydrate formation in multiphase petroleum production.

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The Techniques of Flow Measurement

Measurement and Control ◽

10.1177/002029408201501202 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 15 (12) ◽

pp. 458-463 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

R. S. Medlock

Keyword(s):

Flow Rate ◽

Flow Measurement ◽

Volumetric Flow Rate ◽

Large River ◽

Scientific Basis ◽

New Techniques ◽

Flow Metering ◽

The Subject ◽

Selection Of

Flow measurement has a long history extending over a period of about 3000 years, but it was only just over 200 years ago that the subject was first studied on a scientific basis and it was only 20 years ago that a surge of new techniques became available. Today there is a wide selection of methods and equipment to enable flow to be measured whether the medium is in the form of a liquid, gas, vapour or solid, or any combination thereof. According to the application, volumetric flow rate can be measured over a range exceeding 10−5m3/h to 106m3/h which in everday terms is equivalent to a cupful per day to the flow of a very large river. The price of a flowmeter can be as small as a few pounds or in excess of £1 million depending on the accuracy and capacity required. References are made to about 50 types of flow metering devices which can be classified into 11 groups.

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Unloading Frac Hits in Gas Wells: How Does the Nitrogen Injection Rate and Pressure Affect the Unloading Process?

10.2118/200962-ms ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Miguel Angel Cedeno

Keyword(s):

Multiphase Flow ◽

Flow Rate ◽

Injection Pressure ◽

Injection Rate ◽

Gas Wells ◽

Eagle Ford Shale ◽

Eagle Ford ◽

Nitrogen Injection ◽

Injection Flow ◽

Transient Multiphase Flow

Abstract The unconventional resources development has grown tremendously as a result of the advancement in horizontal drilling technology coupled with hydraulic fracturing. However, as more wells are drilled and fractured close to each other, frac hits have become a major challenge in these wells. The aim of this work is to investigate the effect of nitrogen injection flow rate and pressure on unloading frac hits gas wells in transient multiphase flow. A numerical simulation model was created using a transient multiphase flow simulator to mimic the unloading process of frac hits by injecting nitrogen from the surface through the annulus section of the well. Many simulation cases were created and analyzed to comprehend the effect of the nitrogen injection rate and pressure on the unloading of frac hits. The model mimicked real field data from currently active well in the Eagle Ford Shale. The results showed that as the nitrogen injection pressure increases, the nitrogen volume and the time to unload the frac hits decrease. On the other hand, increasing the injection rate of nitrogen will increase the nitrogen volume required to unload the frac hits. In addition, the time to unload frac hits will be decreased as the nitrogen injection rate increases. These results indicate that the time required to unload frac hits will be minimized if higher flow rates of nitrogen were utilized. Nonetheless, the volume of nitrogen required to unload the frac hits will be maximized. An important observation to highlight is that the operators can save money by reducing the time for injecting nitrogen. This observation was verified when increasing the injection pressure in the frac hit well in the Eagle Ford Shale, the time of injection was reduced 20%. This study presents the effects of nitrogen injection flow rate and injection pressure for unloading frac hits in gas wells. Due to the lack of published studies about this topic, this work can serve as a practical guideline for unloading frac hits in gas wells.

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Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics for Virtual Flow Metering

10.2118/204662-ms ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anton Gryzlov ◽

Liliya Mironova ◽

Sergey Safonov ◽

Muhammad Arsalan

Keyword(s):

Machine Learning ◽

Multiphase Flow ◽

Real Time ◽

Production Control ◽

Measurement Data ◽

Sufficient Accuracy ◽

Operating Conditions ◽

Machine Learning Techniques ◽

Flow Metering ◽

Oil Gas

Abstract Modern challenges in reservoir management have recently faced new opportunities in production control and optimization strategies. These strategies in turn rely on the availability of monitoring equipment, which is used to obtain production rates in real-time with sufficient accuracy. In particular, a multiphase flow meter is a device for measuring the individual rates of oil, gas and water from a well in real-time without separating fluid phases. Currently, there are several technologies available on the market but multiphase flow meters generally incapable to handle all ranges of operating conditions with satisfactory accuracy in addition to being expensive to maintain. Virtual Flow Metering (VFM) is a mathematical technique for the indirect estimation of oil, gas and water flowrates produced from a well. This method uses more readily available data from conventional sensors, such as downhole pressure and temperature gauges, and calculates the multiphase rates by combining physical multiphase models, various measurement data and an optimization algorithm. In this work, a brief overview of the virtual metering methods is presented, which is followed by the application of several advanced machine-learning techniques for a specific case of multiphase production monitoring in a highly dynamic wellbore. The predictive capabilities of different types of machine learning instruments are explored using a model simulated production data. Also, the effect of measurement noise on the quality of estimates is considered. The presented results demonstrate that the data-driven methods are very capable to predict multiphase flow rates with sufficient accuracy and can be considered as a back-up solution for a conventional multiphase meter.

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