Phase Dynamics, Inc.

Texas Instruments Corporation

Atlantic Richfield Company

Other

Technology Network International, Inc.

Bentley N Scott

Samuel R Shortes

Gailon E Brehm

Y Sam Yang

Vernon R Porter

Dale E Zimmerman

Enrique Osvaldo Capone

Sam Y Yang

Yueh Sam Yang

A system comprising a parts-per-million (PPM) analyzer configured to analyze a multiphase fluid, the fluid comprising water. The analyzer includes a mesh comprising first adsorbent materials that adsorb specific substances from the multiphase fluid. The system includes a mass meter configured to measure a mass of multiphase fluid passing through the PPM analyzer; a molecular sieve dryer comprising second adsorbent material configured to adsorb the water from the multiphase fluid; and a plurality of valves configured to couple the mass meter and the molecular sieve dryer to the PPM analyzer. During routine operation, the valves direct the multiphase fluid through the PPM analyzer. During a validation operation, the valves divert the multiphase fluid through the molecular sieve dryer prior to entering the PPM analyzer.

Apparatus and method for validating the operation of a PPM analyzer

A module for preventing barnacle formation in a marine air-conditioning system. The module comprises: i) a housing; ii) a source of irradiating light disposed in the housing, the irradiating light suitable for killing or stunning barnacle larvae; iii) a circuit assembly disposed in the housing and configured to receive electrical power from an external power supply and to provide electrical power to the source of irradiating light; and iv) a transparent window disposed in the housing to permit the irradiating light to pass therethrough. The housing is adapted to be coupled to a water filter supplying raw water to the marine air-conditioning system such that the irradiating light is transmitted into the raw water in the water filter.

Barnacle suppression module

A load pulled oscillator circuit. The load pulled oscillator circuit comprises: i) an active circuit comprising a load pulled oscillator transistor, the active circuit having an optimal operational bias point; ii) an impedance matching circuit coupled to the active circuit; and iii) a temperature compensation circuit coupled to the active circuit and configured to compensate a bias voltage to the active circuit to thereby maintain the optimal operational bias point. The temperature compensation circuit comprises a thermistor that provides a variable resistance according to an ambient temperature in which the active circuit operates. The variable resistance of the thermistor compensates for changes in the ambient temperature to thereby maintain the optimal operational bias point.

Apparatus and method for compensating a load-pulled oscillator

A wellhead test system comprising: i) a Coriolis mass flow meter configured to receive a flow of a liquid; ii) a water analyzer configured to receive the flow of the liquid; and iii) a controller coupled to the Coriolis mass flow meter and the water analyzer. The controller receives from the Coriolis mass flow meter at least one of: mass flow measurement data, mass density measurement data, and drive gain and also receives from the water analyzer at least one of water frequency measurement data, oil frequency measurement data, and insertion loss measurement data. The controller determines a gas volume fraction (GVF) value and modifies the operation of the Coriolis mass flow meter and the water analyzer based on the GVF value.

Apparatus and method for wellhead testing

An apparatus for analyzing the output of a plurality of oil wells. The apparatus comprises: i) a plurality of test headers coupled to the plurality of wells via a field testing infrastructure; and ii) a test separator configured to select a first well for testing and to receive a multiphase fluid flow from a first one of the plurality of test headers, the first test header associated with the first well. The test separator is further configured to: iii) separate the multiphase fluid flow into a gas phase stream and a liquid phase stream; iv) measure a plurality of parameters of the gas phase stream and the liquid phase stream over a current period; v) for each of the plurality of parameters, determine a mean value, a standard deviation, a maximum value, and a minimum value in the current period; and vi) determine if a standard deviation associated with a first parameter exceeds a first threshold of a mean value associated with the first parameter. If the standard deviation exceeds the first threshold, the test separator flags the first oil well as having a problem.

Apparatuses and methods for evaluating well performance using deviations in real-time well measurement data

An apparatus for measuring a water content in a multiphase fluid flow stream is provided. The apparatus includes a measurement section configured to obtain a series of electrical measurements of the multiphase fluid flow stream over a first predetermined time interval, and determine a minimum electrical measurement Fmin_baseline from the series of electrical measurements. The measurement section also is configured to calculate a running average of the frequency (Fmin_gas_pattern) from the series of electrical measurements indicative of a change in a gas flow pattern of the multiphase fluid flow stream over a second predetermined time interval. The measurement section further is configured to calculate a corrected electrical measurement F_calc_WC for determining the water content in the multiphase fluid flow stream by subtracting the running average of the frequency. Fmin_gas_pattern from the minimum electrical measurement Fmin_baseline.

Correction for gas entrained water analyzers

A self-checking analyzer system is provided according to an embodiment of this disclosure. The analyzer system includes a pipeline for receiving a multi-phase fluid flow and a first measuring device configured to provide a first frequency response corresponding to the multi-phase fluid flow. The analyzer system also includes a second measuring device differing in frequency response from the first measuring device and configured to provide a second frequency response corresponding to the multi-phase fluid flow. The analyzer system is configured to validate the first frequency response using the second frequency response.

Self-checking analyzer method and system using frequency response

A self-checking analyzer system is provided according to an embodiment of this disclosure. The analyzer system includes a pipeline for receiving a multi-phase fluid flow. The analyzer system also includes a first measuring device configured to provide a first reflected power/insertion loss measurement corresponding to the multi-phase fluid flow, and a second measuring device differing in frequency response from the first measuring device and configured to provide a second reflected power/insertion loss measurement corresponding to the multi-phase fluid flow. The analyzer system is configured to validate the first reflected power/insertion loss measurement using the second reflected power/insertion loss measurement.

Self-checking analyzer method and system using reflected power/insertion loss

Systems and methods for measuring the moisture and sediment content of a sample. In one embodiment, a sample to be tested is collected in a field bottle. The sample from the field bottle is then transferred from the field bottle, and into and through an analysis bottle containing a desiccant material. As the sample is being pulled through the analysis bottle, a microwave measurement system (or other scattering parameter measuring system) is used to measure the effects of the sample on the scattering parameters of the desiccant material. By measuring the effects of the sample on the scattering parameters of the desiccant material, the sample's moisture content can be determined. The sample's moisture can also be determined by measuring the expanded volume of the desiccant. A filter section having a sight glass with graduations is used to determine the sediment content of the sample.

Moisture and sediment analysis

Methods and systems for determining the water, oil, and gas fractions in hydrocarbons from high water cut hydrocarbon wells. A hydrocarbon flow stream discharging from a well is subjected to hydro-separation to produce an oil-enriched fractional stream upon which water content measurements can be more accurately and reproducibly made. Calculations based on the water content of the oil-enriched fractional stream and the flow rate of at least one of the streams through the separator are conducted to determine the water content of the original stream. This provides a simple approach to measuring the water content in high water cut hydrocarbons that is real-time, accurate, and reproducible.

High water cut well measurements with hydro-separation

Methods and systems for testing a hydrocarbon well. Real time monitoring of the flow stream discharging from a well is used to collect physical and electromagnetic characterization data on the flow stream. A data filter is used to exclude data points uncharacteristic of the true performance of the well at that time in the operational cycle of the well. A statistical evaluation during or after at least some data has been collected is used to determine when the data set meets an acceptable level of data quality. The filtering parameters are adjusted to improve future detection, correction, and filtering of uncharacteristic data. Corrective transforms can be derived and applied to selected uncharacteristic data to recondition and retain the data. The filtered and completed data set is used to generate a hindsight determination of crude petroleum oil production output, including petroleum oil, water, and gas fractions and production rates.

Hydrocarbon well test method and system

Methods and systems for determining the amount of water in a high water cut crude petroleum flow stream exiting from a hydrocarbon well. Electrical property measurements such as permittivity measurements are collected with a microwave analyzer system as high water cut oil exits from a well. Collection is continued until the span of the measurements of at least one property reaches at least a characteristic pre-determined value. A heuristic salinity of the water phase of the crude oil can then be determined based on the span statistics and reference equations and/or reference data. The flow-weighted average water content of the oil can then be determined using the heuristic salinity to correct for salinity variation as the output of the well changes over time.

High water cut well measurements using heuristic salinity determination

Methods for determining and validating a first phase fraction of a gravitationally-separated multiphase fluid by conducting physical and electrical property measurements on samples of the fluid. The water content of crude petroleum oil is determined after the oil and water have begun to separate into phase layers such as occurs during un-agitated holding of the crude petroleum oil. A series of measurements of electrical properties such as permittivity and physical properties such as density is collected. The density minima can be used to generate hindsight determinations of average properties, such as the dry oil phase density, which in turn can be used to increase the accuracy of the water percentage in the oil determined by the permittivity and density methods. Flow weighted averages of water percentages by each method can be used to determine and validate the water content of the crude petroleum oil.

Multiphase fluid characterization

Systems and methods for determining the fraction of a first phase of a multiphase fluid flow stream, such as the amount of water in crude petroleum oil flowing from a production well or container. An electrical property, such as permittivity, and a physical property, such as density, are used as the basis of the improved characterization. The method is particularly well-suited to reduce salinity-dependent uncertainties for wells experiencing high water cuts. A time series of measurements is collected, and the extrema of the observed values are used to generate a hindsight auto-calibration and correction to the other values using knowledge of the degree of uncertainty in the measurements caused by variable salinity and variable phase state of the multiphase fluid. The hindsight auto-calibration and corrections thus permit more accurate measurements of the instantaneous and the cumulative amounts of each phase in the multiphase fluid flow stream.

Growing community of inventors

Garland, TX, United States of America

Bentley N Scott