Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Multiphase Flow Metering
(MPFM)
Production Engineering
Natural Gas Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Introduction
• In an ideal world
– Accurate, reliable MPFM
on every well
– No more test separators
– Save time, space and cost
– Where do we stand?
Production Engineering
1
5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Installations
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
MPFM Locations
Production Engineering
2
5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Agenda
• Multiphase flow and the metering problem
• Common Components
• MPFM manufacturers
• MPFM types
• Building blocks for MPFMs
• What’s out there – some available meters
• Installation history and testing
• Issues and costs
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Multiphase Flow
• Horizontal 2‐phase flow
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Multiphase Flow
• Vertical 2‐phase flow
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Vertical Flow Regime Map
• Superficial velocity:
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Horizontal Flow Regime Map
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Flow is Actually 3‐Phase
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Flow Regimes in a Pipe
• Regime changes with
– Temperature
– Pressure
– Time
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Slip and Holdup
• Generally speaking, the gas flows faster than the liquid
• gas is the volume fraction of gas in the total flow
Production Engineering
6
5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Can’t Directly Measure What We Sell
• What we want to know
– QT = Q gas + Qoil + Qwater
– QT = gasQT + oilQT + waterQT
• What we are actually observing in the pipe
– QT = Vgas gas + Voil oil + Vwater water
– gas + oil + water = 1
– Voil Vwater
– Still 4 unknowns!
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
The Problem – Phase Distribution
• Need:
– Distribution map of each phase
– Velocity of each phase
– Density of each phase
– Other
• Salinity
• Dielectric constant
• Etc.
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
The Problem ‐ MPFM Regimes
1. Multi‐phase (GVF < 80 –85%)
2. High‐GVF multi‐phase (80 ‐85% < GVF < 90 –95%) – the difficult region
3. Wet‐gas (GVF > 90%)
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Solution Philosophies
• In‐line MPFM’s
– Hard to design for the full range of GVF and WOR
• Partial or total separation MPFM’s
– Larger space and weight requirements
• Wet Gas meters
– Work only at high GVF
– Liquid slugs may degrade performance
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Single‐Phase Meters
TEN CATEGORIES: • No single meter works as an
1. Conventional differential MPFM
pressure • No collection of single‐phase
2. Other differential pressure meters works as an MPFM
3. Positive displacement • Need combination of meters
4. Inferential and other instruments!
5. Fluid oscillatory
6. Electromagnetic
7. Ultrasonic
8. Direct and indirect mass
9. Thermal
10. Miscellaneous
11. Solids
12. Open channel
Natural Gas Engineering
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Single‐Phase Meter Components used
in MPFMs
• Conventional differential pressure
– Venturi
– V‐cone
• Direct and indirect mass
– Coriolis
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Common Meter Components of MPFMs
• Venturi and Cone Meters
– Most widely used component
in MPFMs
– Simple
– Can measure 2‐phase flows
(approximately)
– Condition the flow
• Liquid at wall
• Gas in the core
– Venturis subject to erosion
Natural Gas Engineering
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Common Insrtuments in MPFMs
• Capacitance Gauges
– Measure dielectric constant
• Oil – strong dielectric
• Gas – poor dielectric
• Water ‐ conductor
– Use RF signal
– Long used to detect BS&W in
LACT Units
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Evolving Capacitance Measurement
• ECT (Electrical Capacitance Tomography)
– Map phase distribution in pipe cross‐section
• ECVT (Volume Tomography)
– Map phase distribution along a length of pipe
– Yields velocity information
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
ECVT Images
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Gamma Densitometer
• Most use CS‐137 Source
• Easily measure GVF
– Poor WOR measurement
• Multiple sensors yield velocity
• Detects slug flow
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Gamma Densitometer
• Water to Oil ratio not clear
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
MPFM Building Blocks
1. Conditioning
– Separation
– Homogenization
– No Conditioning
2. Volumetric flow rate / Velocity / Mass Flow rate
– Coriolis
– Venturi
– V‐cone
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
MPFM Building Blocks (cont.)
3. Phase Distribution
– Capacitance
– Microwave
– Conductance / Inductance
– Venturi
– Nuclear
– Tomography (multi‐sensor)
4. Computation from data and MPF model
+2
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
MajorBrands
• Other brands
exist
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Example Meters
• Nuclear only – Neftemeter
• Nuclear and Venturi or V‐Cone
– Schlumberger phasewatcher
• Nuclear, Venturi or V‐cone, & more
– Roxar – capacitance/inductance module
– MPM – ECVT module
– Haimo – partial separation
• Non‐Nuclear
– Pietro Fiorentini flowatch – Venturi plus capacitance
– Roxar Wet Gas Meter – V‐Cone plus microwave
– Agar MP‐50 – Venturi, coriolis meter and microwave
– Abbon – accoustic analysis
– Accuflow – phase separation
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Neftmeter
• Building Blocks
+2
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Neftemeter – Limited GVF Range
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Example Meters
• Nuclear only – Neftemeter
• Nuclear and Venturi or V‐Cone
– Schlumberger phasewatcher
• Nuclear, Venturi or V‐cone, & more
– Roxar – capacitance/inductance module
– MPM – ECVT module
– Haimo – partial separation
• Non‐Nuclear
– Pietro Fiorentini flowatch – Venturi plus capacitance
– Roxar Wet Gas Meter – V‐Cone plus microwave
– Agar MP‐50 – Venturi, coriolis meter and microwave
– Abbon – accoustic analysis
– Accuflow – phase separation
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Schlumberger Phase Watcher
• Building Blocks
+2
• Offers a sampling
device to accompany
the meter
Natural Gas Engineering
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Example Meters
• Nuclear only – Neftemeter
• Nuclear and Venturi or V‐Cone
– Schlumberger phasewatcher
• Nuclear, Venturi or V‐cone, & more
– Roxar – capacitance/inductance module
– MPM – ECVT module
– Haimo – partial separation
• Non‐Nuclear
– Pietro Fiorentini flowatch – Venturi plus capacitance
– Roxar Wet Gas Meter – V‐Cone plus microwave
– Agar MP‐50 – Venturi, coriolis meter and microwave
– Abbon – accoustic analysis
– Accuflow – phase separation
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Roxar MPFMs
• Building Blocks
•Redundant elements
•Some units come without a nuclear source
+2
Natural Gas Engineering
Production Engineering
17
5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
MPM
• Building Blocks
Multi‐dimensional and multi‐frequency
dielectric tomography
+2
Natural Gas Engineering
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Haimo
• Building Blocks
+2
Natural Gas Engineering
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Example Meters
• Nuclear only – Neftemeter
• Nuclear and Venturi or V‐Cone
– Schlumberger phasewatcher
• Nuclear, Venturi or V‐cone, & more
– Roxar – capacitance/inductance module
– MPM – ECVT module
– Haimo – partial separation
• Non‐Nuclear
– Pietro Fiorentini flowatch 3I – Venturi plus capacitance
– Roxar Wet Gas Meter – V‐Cone plus microwave
– Agar MP‐50 – Venturi, coriolis meter and microwave
– Abbon – accoustic analysis
– Accuflow – phase separation
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
+2 New HS model with a gamma detector is more accurate
Production Engineering
19
5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Roxar Wet Gas meter
• Building Blocks
+2
Natural Gas Engineering
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Agar MP‐50
• Building Blocks
+2
Larger flows handled by separating
and bypassing part of the gas
Natural Gas Engineering
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
• Abbon
– Interprets flow
noise
– Special chambers
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
AccuFlow
• Separate flows
• Gas Meter
– Ultrasonic,
– Coriolis, or
– Vortex
• Liquid Meter
– Coriolis
Production Engineering
21
5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Expro Multitrace
• Non‐radioactive
tracers
• One for each
phase
• 200 ppm or less
• Tracer detection
combined with
Venturi
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
The Long‐Term Problem
• All wells become
gassy as they
mature
• A meter that
works well to start
may malfunction
as the GVF
increases
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
MPM Testing
• MPM High Performance meter
• Developed by FMC with support
from a research consortium
• Brought to market in 2006
• Probably the most accurate meter
available
• Long‐term reliability remains to be
proven
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
MPM Testing
• Test conditions
Production Engineering
23
5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
MPM Testing
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
MPM Testing
• Errors at 90%
confidence
level
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Comparison, Meter E to MPM
Meter “E” MPM
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
MPM Testing Results Good!
Production Engineering
25
5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Issues
• No standards!
• Radioactive sources on many meters
– Permits
– Training
– Handling and shielding
• Not accurate enough for custody transfer, yet
– FMC/MPM thinks theirs is sufficiently accurate
• Operator training
• Manufacturers often remote from installations
– Make sure there is a rep. close by if you install
• Calibration
• Long‐term reliability
• Corrosion, scale, sand etc.
• Costs 50k to 400k in 2008 – an expensive experiment!
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Summary
• What flow regimes are found in Vertical flow?
• What flow regimes are found in horizontal flow?
• What does MPFM stand for?
• What is liquid holdup?
• How does gas volume fraction differ from gas
void fraction?
• What are some single‐phase metering elements
commonly found in MPFMs?
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Summary
• What is ECVT?
• What is a gamma densitometer?
• What is the problem with separation‐type
meters?
• What GVF range is the most difficult to measure
with a MPFM?
• What are the components in the MPM High
Performance Meter?
• How many MPFMs were installed worldwide in
2004?
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
Summary
• What MPFMs are certified for custody transfer?
• What are the issues with meters using nuclear
sources?
• What are some of the issues that must be
considered when buying a MPFM?
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
References
1. Lex Scheers, “Multi‐Phase Flow Metering, On its way from nursing to
mature technology,” Prepared for Hydrocarbon Production
Accounting workshop, Moscow, 16‐17 Dec 2008,
lex.scheers@shell.com.
2. Gioia Falcone, Bob Harrison, “Forecast expects continued multiphase
flowmeter growth,” Oil and Gas Journal, Mar. 7, 2011.
3. Vladimir Kratirov, Andrew Jamieson,Stephen Blaney, Hoi Yeung ,
“Neftemer – A Versatile And Cost Effective Multiphase Meter,” 24th
International North Sea Flow Measurement Workshop, 24th – 27th
October 2006.
4. Arnstein Wee, Hans Berentsen, Vidar Rune Midttve, Hans Olav Hide,
“Håkon Moestueit Tomography powered multiphase and wetgas
meter providing measurements used for fiscal metering,” North Sea
Flow Measurement Workshop, 16‐19 October 2007.
Production Engineering
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
References
5. Arnstein Wee, Lars Farestvedt, A Combined Wetgas Meter
with In‐Situ Sampling of Fluid Properties,” OTC 2011, OTC
21547.
6. Handbook of Multiphase Metering, Revision 2, ISBN 82‐
91341‐89‐3, NFOGM, Tekna, March 2005.
7. Fei Wang, Qussai Marashdeh, Liang‐Shih Fan and Warsito
Warsito, “Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography: Design
and Applications,” Sensors 2010, 10, 1890‐1917;
doi:10.3390/s100301890.
8. R. A. FURNESS, “BS 7405: The principles of flowmeter
selection,” Flow Meas. Instrum., Vol 2, October 1991.
Production Engineering
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5/7/2012
Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.
Petroleum Training
References
9. http://drbratland.com/PipeFlow2/chapter1.html
10. http://www.fiorentini.com/viewdoc.aspx?co_id=210
11. http://www.mpm‐no.com/products/topside/
12. http://www.slb.com/services/characterization/testing/
multiphase/phasewatcher_flowmeter.aspx
13. http://www.haimo.com.cn/en/detail.jsp?articleId=708&
classid=94&preid=91
14. http://www2.emersonprocess.com/en‐
US/brands/roxar/FlowMetering/subseameteringsystem
s/Pages/RoxarsubseaMultiphasemeter.aspx
15. http://www.agarcorp.com/Technology/MPFM50.html
16. http://yerasoft.com/accuflow.com/default2.asp?active_
page_id=197
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