Density Diver Separation Device for Multiphase Oil Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current separation devices in the oilfield industry face challenges in accurately extracting and analyzing fluid samples from multiphase flows, particularly in reducing water and gas content to enhance oil proportion for precise reservoir depletion monitoring, while ensuring safe operation near wellheads in explosive environments.
Innovation Solution
A separation device comprising a chamber assembly with diver elements and sensors that utilize density differences to separate phases, allowing for the extraction of a high-oil-content sample, and is designed for use in explosive environments with pneumatic control to maintain safety and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the fluid is purified through a sampler module to improve analysis accuracy, then the oil proportion in the sample increases and water and gas proportions decrease, but the device complexity and safety requirements increase due to the need for sealed enclosures and pneumatic control in explosive atmospheres
Solution Approach 1:
The separation device is divided into multiple chambers (first chamber and second chamber) that process different phases separately. The first chamber handles the oil phase while the second chamber handles the water and gas phase, allowing independent optimization of each separation process and reducing the overall complexity of the system.
Solution Approach 2:
A pneumatic control system acts as an intermediary to safely control the sampling process in explosive atmospheres. The pneumatic control replaces electronic controls with safe, intrinsically safe pneumatic actuators that can operate in hazardous environments without creating ignition sources.
2Productivity
If samples are extracted continuously to maintain high efficiency and minimize well immobilization, then the productivity increases, but the reliability decreases due to the challenging explosive atmosphere environment near the wellhead
Solution Approach 1:
The device uses pneumatic control systems to operate valves and actuators in the explosive atmosphere environment. Pneumatic controls are inherently safer than electronic controls as they cannot generate electrical sparks, thereby maintaining reliability while enabling continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The separation device creates a controlled environment within sealed enclosures that isolates the sampling process from the explosive atmosphere. The enclosures maintain inert conditions that prevent ignition while allowing continuous sampling operations to proceed safely.
3Measurement precision
If the separation device uses diver elements to separate phases based on density differences, then the purification effectiveness improves, but the device complexity increases due to the need for precise sensor control and chamber management
Solution Approach 1:
The diver elements automatically separate the phases based on their density differences without requiring complex external control systems. The divers self-position themselves according to the phase densities, and sensors simply detect their positions to trigger sampling, greatly simplifying the control architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical control systems with simpler sensor-based detection. Instead of using complex mechanical actuators to control the separation process, the system uses sensors to detect diver positions and automatically triggers sampling based on these detections, reducing mechanical complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables fast and reliable extraction of purified fluid samples with a high oil proportion, improving analysis accuracy and maintaining operational efficiency by minimizing well immobilization, while ensuring compatibility and safety near the wellhead.
Implementation Method 1
A separation device comprising a chamber assembly with diver elements and sensors that utilize density differences to separate phases
Implementation Method 2
separation device for extracting a sample from a fluid flow comprising at least three phases including at least a phase of interest to be sampled
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention concerns a séparation device (26) for extracting at least one sample from a fluid flow comprising at least two phases, including at least one phase of interest (64). The séparation device (26) comprises: - a chamber assembly, - a sample extraction device (50), - a first diver (44) and a second diver (46), having a first density and a second density, respectively greater than and smaller than the density of the phase of interest (64), - a first sensor (52) configured to detect the first diver (44) reaching a first level (h), and - a second sensor (54) configured to detect the second diver (46) reaching a second level (l2. The sample extraction device (50) is configured to extract the sample when the first diver (44) the second diver (46) occupy predetermined positions relative to the first level (h) and the second level (l2) respectively.