US4236406A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for sonic velocity type water cut measurement
Assignee: ConocoPhillips Co
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Filing: 1978-12-11
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Granted: 1980-12-02
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Expires: 1998-12-11
Abstract
Abstract In a method and apparatus for metering water content in an oil-water system by determining sonic velocities in the flowing oil-water mixture, and thereafter determining flow rate to provide individual oil and water rates which may then be integrated to provide oil and water volume of flow, the improvement comprising self-calibrating for salt content of the system water by measuring the speed of sound in the water phase only and utilizing the measured value in determinations of the system water cut.
Inventors
- 👤 Philip W. Reed
- 👤 John D. Alexander
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 15:15
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01P; G01P5/00; G01P5/24; G01P5/245; G01P5/247; G01F; G01F1/00; G01F1/66; G01F1/667; G01F1/668; G01F1/74; G01N; G01N29/00; G01N29/02; G01N29/024; G01N2291/00; G01N2291/02; G01N2291/028; G01N2291/02809; G01N2291/02836; G01N2291/02881; G01N2291/26; G01N2291/269; G01N2291/2695
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for self-calibrating a system for determining quantitative and volumetric data of an oil-water mixture flowing in a conduit, comprising the steps of: providing in said conduit a metering section for controlled entrapment of water only; offsetting said metering section below said conduit so that stoppage of the oil-water mixture flow causes liquid separation thereby to enhance water only presence in said metering section; deriving by sonic flowmeter the speed of sonic energy transmitted through said metering section when containing water only; deriving by sonic flowmeter the speed of sonic energy transmitted through said metering section when containing said oil-water mixture; and determining said quantitative and volumetric data of said oil-water mixture, said determination being based upon said speed of sonic energy through said metering section when containing said oil-water mixture and upon a calibration adjustment dependent upon said speed of sonic energy through said metering section when containing water only.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for self-calibrating a system for determining quantitative and volumetric data of an oil-water mixture flowing in a conduit, comprising the steps of: providing in said conduit a metering section for controlled entrapment of water only; offsetting said metering section below said conduit so that stoppage of the oil-water mixture flow causes liquid separation thereby to enhance water only presence in said metering section; deriving by sonic flowmeter the speed of sonic energy transmitted through said metering section when containing water only; deriving by sonic flowmeter the speed of sonic energy transmitted through said metering section when containing said oil-water mixture; and determining said quantitative and volumetric data of said oil-water mixture, said determination being based upon said speed of sonic energy through said metering section when containing said oil-water mixture and upon a calibration adjustment dependent upon said speed of sonic energy through said metering section when containing water only.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said sonic flowmeter transmits and receives axially through said metering section.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said conduit is the liquid dump output from a two-phase separator tank wherein initial output flow of a dump is water only for a period of derivation of the speed of sonic energy.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein: said sonic flowmeter transmits and receives axially through said metering section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 which further comprises: initially charging said metering section with water of said oil-water mixture for a duration to enable derivation of the speed of sonic energy therethrough.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
202 words
A method for self-calibrating a system for determining quantitative and volumetric data of an oil-water mixture flowing from a three phase separator tank having a water dump conduit and an oil dump conduit, said method comprising the steps of: placing a water metering section in the water dump conduit of said tank; placing a second metering section in the oil dump conduit of said tank; deriving by sonic flowmeter the speed of sonic energy transmitted through said water metering section during water dumps; deriving by sonic flowmeter the speed of sonic energy transmitted through said second metering section during oil dumps; determining volumetric data of said water flowing through said water metering section during said water dumps; determining quantitative and volumetric data of an oil-water mixture flowing through said second metering section during said oil dumps, said determination being based upon said speed of sonic energy transmitted through said second metering section during said oil dumps and upon a calibration adjustment dependent upon said speed of sonic energy transmitted through said water metering section during said water dumps; and totalizing the data determined for said water metering section and said second metering section to determine the watercut of the total oil/water system.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
202 words
A method for self-calibrating a system for determining quantitative and volumetric data of an oil-water mixture flowing from a three phase separator tank having a water dump conduit and an oil dump conduit, said method comprising the steps of: placing a water metering section in the water dump conduit of said tank; placing a second metering section in the oil dump conduit of said tank; deriving by sonic flowmeter the speed of sonic energy transmitted through said water metering section during water dumps; deriving by sonic flowmeter the speed of sonic energy transmitted through said second metering section during oil dumps; determining volumetric data of said water flowing through said water metering section during said water dumps; determining quantitative and volumetric data of an oil-water mixture flowing through said second metering section during said oil dumps, said determination being based upon said speed of sonic energy transmitted through said second metering section during said oil dumps and upon a calibration adjustment dependent upon said speed of sonic energy transmitted through said water metering section during said water dumps; and totalizing the data determined for said water metering section and said second metering section to determine the watercut of the total oil/water system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as set forth in claim 6, wherein: said sonic flowmeters are aligned to transmit and receive axially through said water metering and second metering sections.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein: said water metering section is laterally offset relative to the axis of its associated main flow conduit thereby to enhance liquid separation within the water metering section.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
78 words
In apparatus for determining quantitative and volumetric data of an oil-water mixture flowing in a conduit, the improvement comprising: a metering section disposed in said conduit laterally offset from the main axis of said conduit; sonic flowmeter means, disposed generally axially in said metering section, for measuring the speed of sound in a liquid flowing therethrough; and means for periodically stopping flow of liquid through said metering section for a duration sufficient to allow oil and water separation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
78 words
In apparatus for determining quantitative and volumetric data of an oil-water mixture flowing in a conduit, the improvement comprising: a metering section disposed in said conduit laterally offset from the main axis of said conduit; sonic flowmeter means, disposed generally axially in said metering section, for measuring the speed of sound in a liquid flowing therethrough; and means for periodically stopping flow of liquid through said metering section for a duration sufficient to allow oil and water separation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 which is further characterized in that: said metering section is laterally offset below a generally horizontal conduit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 which is further characterized in that: said metering section is aligned at a slight angle relative to the axis of the conduit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
113 words
In combination with a two-phase separator tank having a dump conduit for outputting an oil-water mixture, apparatus comprising: a metering section disposed in said dump conduit; sonic flowmeter means, disposed generally axially in said metering section, for deriving the speed of sound in a liquid flowing therethrough; means for periodically stopping flow of liquid through said metering section for a duration sufficient to allow derivation of the speed of sound in water only; and computation means receiving input data representing the speed of sound in water only and the speed of sound in the oil-water mixture to generate output data for volume of oil and water in the flowing mixture per unit time.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
113 words
In combination with a two-phase separator tank having a dump conduit for outputting an oil-water mixture, apparatus comprising: a metering section disposed in said dump conduit; sonic flowmeter means, disposed generally axially in said metering section, for deriving the speed of sound in a liquid flowing therethrough; means for periodically stopping flow of liquid through said metering section for a duration sufficient to allow derivation of the speed of sound in water only; and computation means receiving input data representing the speed of sound in water only and the speed of sound in the oil-water mixture to generate output data for volume of oil and water in the flowing mixture per unit time.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 which is further characterized in that: said metering section is laterally offset from said dump conduit to enhance the separation of oil and water during liquid flow stoppage.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
132 words
In combination with a three-phase separator tank having a water dump first conduit and an oil-water dump second conduit for outputting collected oil-water mixture, apparatus comprising: a first metering section disposed in said first conduit; sonic flowmeter means, disposed generally axially in said first metering section, for generating first speed of sound data output representing the speed of sound in water flowing therethrough; a second metering section disposed in said second conduit; second sonic flowmeter means, disposed generally axially in said second metering section, for generating second speed of sound data representing the speed of sound in the oil-water mixture flowing therethrough; and computation means receiving said first and second speed of sound data and generating output indication of the total volume of oil and water flowing through said three-phase separator tank.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
132 words
In combination with a three-phase separator tank having a water dump first conduit and an oil-water dump second conduit for outputting collected oil-water mixture, apparatus comprising: a first metering section disposed in said first conduit; sonic flowmeter means, disposed generally axially in said first metering section, for generating first speed of sound data output representing the speed of sound in water flowing therethrough; a second metering section disposed in said second conduit; second sonic flowmeter means, disposed generally axially in said second metering section, for generating second speed of sound data representing the speed of sound in the oil-water mixture flowing therethrough; and computation means receiving said first and second speed of sound data and generating output indication of the total volume of oil and water flowing through said three-phase separator tank.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-12-02 | 1984-06-02 | 1984-12-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-12-02 | 1988-06-02 | 1988-12-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-12-02 | 1992-06-02 | 1992-12-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |