Virtual Flow Meter Calibration for Drifted Wellsite Flow Meters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flow meters, particularly multiphase flow meters, experience calibration drift over time, leading to inaccurate flow rate measurements, necessitating manual recalibration by crews, which is inefficient and costly.
Innovation Solution
Implement a system that utilizes virtual flow meters (VFM) to continuously monitor and automatically recalibrate physical flow meters based on real-time flow rate estimates and measurements, integrating with computational frameworks for autonomous calibration management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual recalibration by crews is performed, then flow meter accuracy is restored, but operational efficiency decreases and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic recalibration of flow meters using computational models and available operational data, eliminating the need for manual crew intervention. The automated system continuously monitors flow meter performance and performs recalibration when drift is detected, allowing the equipment to self-correct without external assistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical recalibration procedures with an automated computational system that uses virtual flow meter models and data processing algorithms. This substitution of mechanical/manual operations with automated computational methods restores accuracy while improving operational efficiency.
2Measurement precision
If manual recalibration by crews is performed, then flow meter accuracy is restored, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides continuous monitoring of flow meter performance and performs recalibration automatically when needed, eliminating the intermittent manual intervention process. The continuous automated operation ensures accuracy is maintained without the time loss associated with scheduling and executing manual recalibration trips.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated system performs recalibration on-demand using computational models, eliminating the time-consuming manual process of deploying crews to field sites for recalibration.
3Reliability
If virtual flow meters are used for continuous monitoring, then calibration drift is detected early, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a virtual copy (computational model) of the physical flow meter to simulate and compare performance. This virtual model allows for continuous monitoring and drift detection without adding physical complexity to the actual measurement device.
Solution Approach 2:
The computational model acts as an intermediary between the physical flow meter and the recalibration process, enabling automated detection and correction of calibration drift through data comparison and analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
A method can include receiving flow rate estimates from a computational, virtual flow meter at a wellsite; receiving flow rate measurements from a physical flow meter at the wellsite; and calling for calibration of the physical flow meter based on the flow rate estimates and the flow rate measurements.