Hydrocarbon Well Production Analysis System

Abstract

An oil well production analyzing system receives production fluid samples from the oil well according to an automated sampling schedule. The fluid samples are taken from a pipeline through a sampling apparatus to obtain a representative sample. The representative sample flows into a circulation loop having a circulating pump, a water cut analyzer, and a cylindrical vessel, with interconnecting piping and actuated valves there between, with the actuated valves and the circulating pump controlled by a digital processor. Once a determination of the percentage of water and oil in the sample has been determined, the processor stops the circulating pump and activates a piston in the cylindrical vessel which sweeps the cylindrical vessel of any fluid contained in the vessel in preparation of receiving a subsequent fluid sample from the oil well.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention generally relates to the on-sight analysis of fluids produced from hydrocarbon producing wells and the measurement of flow rates of those fluids. In particular, the present invention relates to devices which provide real-time determination of the relative components of the fluids produced from hydrocarbon producing wells and the flow rates of each of the relative components, both instantaneous and over a particular period of time.[0002]A determination of the percentage of water with respect to the volume of total liquids produced by the well—the “water cut”—is important for determination of the economic viability of a well because excessive water production increases lifting and separation expense, plus the produced water must be properly disposed. In addition, an accurate real-time determination of water cut, when used in conjunction with other parameters such as oil gravity and gas liquid ratio, may be utilized to determine th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent is about a device that can determine the water content in a sample, such as oil. The device uses a cylindrical vessel with a piston that sweeps the vessel clean of any fluids. The piston head and seals prevent the samples from mixing as they are processed. The device uses sensors located outside of the cylindrical vessel for easy maintenance and repair, and the sensors provide output signals that can be used for data collection or control purposes. The technical effect of the invention is to improve the accuracy of water cut determination by providing a sample that is gas free and optionally heated to standard temperature for water cut determination, using various types of water cut analyzers.

Problems solved by technology

However, particularly with heavy crudes which may have gravities approaching that of water, gravity alone is not always sufficient.

Emulsions also present difficulties in determining the relative percentages of water and oil in a well's production stream.

These separation devices are expensive and typically require a given volume of produced fluid to remain in the test vessel for sufficient time to allow oil and water separation.

However, this operation is time consuming and requires manual processing of the sample.

It is not a method which may be replicated in the field for real time determination of water cut.

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