Weatherford's Optical Multiphase Flowmeter

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Overview of the Optical Multiphase Flowmeter

Weatherford's optical multiphase flowmeter delivers accurate, real- time measurements of downhole oil, gas, and water flow rates, enabling better production and reservoir management decisions and increased flexibility in well completion options. Typical applications for the multiphase flowmeter include on-demand production monitoring and allocation in single- and multi-zone completions.

The optical multiphase flowmeter technology is based on a flow- velocity measurement and a speed-of-sound measurement where the speed of sound is proportional to volume fraction of oil, water, and gas in the flowing mixture. The flowmeter is deployed as part of the production tubing and is typically integrated with one or two Weatherford optical pressure and temperature gauges ported to tubing and/or annulus. Each flowmeter is designed to fit specific completion requirements and is available in tubing sizes ranging from 2-318 to 5-112 in., with other sizes available on request.

Weatherford's optical flowmeters are field-proven in installations ranging from oil producers to high-rate gas condensate wells. Weatherford also offers a single-phase flowmeter designed for zonal allocation in water, gas, or water-alternating-gas (WAG) injectors.

Applications for the Optical Multiphase Flowmeter

  • Zonal allocation in multi-zone intelligent completions.
  • Identification and localization of production anomalies in real-time.
  • Direct determination of well productivity index.
  • Reduction of surface well tests and surface facilities.
  • Subsea installations with fiber in the umbilical. Weatherford offers wet-mate optical connectors for both horizontal and vertical trees. The optical flowmeter allows for a distance of up to 31-mi (50-km) between in-well flowmeter and surface integration system.

Optical Multiphase Flowmeter Features, Advantages, and Benefits

    Optical Multiphase Flowmeter
  • Flowmeter is completely non-intrusive and allows for full through-bore access.
  • Flowmeter is 100 percent optical, with no sensors exposed to well fluids. This design ensures high resilience to erosion and corrosion and measurement that is not affected by solid content in the flow.
  • Low component count, no moving parts, and passive sensors make the flowmeter highly reliable; all complex components are located at the surface.
  • Flowmeter measurement cannot drift and offers excellent long-term stability.
  • Bi-directional flow measurement makes the flowmeter capable of measuring interzonal crossflow in multi-zone completions.
  • Full-bore design means no flowing pressure loss.
  • Rugged, shock-resistant design can handle perforating and hydraulic fracturing operations.
  • Flowmeter is intrinsically safe, with no electrical energy downhole or at the wellhead.
  • Multiple optical sensors, including pressure and temperature, seismic, distributed temperature sensing (DTS), and single-phase and multiphase flow, can be combined on a single cable for completion design flexibility.
  • Flowmeter software can be configured to measure two-phase oil and water flow rates or liquid and gas flow rates.
  • Flowmeter software offers integrated pressure-volume-temperature (PVT) for volume conversions and reports flow rate at downhole and surface conditions.
  • Flowmeter is integrated with Weatherford's Reservoir Monitoring System (RMS) and offers numerous options for data interface, storage and analysis.

Options of the Optical Multiphase Flowmeter

  • Integrated optical pressure and temperature gauge. One or two gauges can be connected and ported to annulus and/or tubing. Flowmeter and pressure and temperature gauges share one optical cable and a single dry-mate optical connector.
  • Cable bypass slots for control lines.

Specifications of the Optical Multiphase Flowmeter

Performance Data

Volumetric flow rate accuracy

±1% (of measurement)

Flow rate accuracy, oil-water

±5% (0 to100% WLR)

Flow rate accuracy, liquid-gas

±5% (<30% or >90% GVF)

±20% (30 to 90% GVF)

Turndown ratio (maximum/minimum flow rate)

>20

Minimum flow velocity

Liquid: 3 ft/sec (0.9 m/sec)

Gas: 10 ft/sec (3 m/sec)

Pressure rating

10,000 PSI (690 bar)a

Operating temperature

Standard: 77° to 257°F (25° to 125°C)

High Temp: 77° to 302°F (25° to 150°C)

Storage temperature

Standard: –58° to 257°F (–50° to 125°C)

High Temp: –58° to 302°F (–50° to 150°C)

Vibration

15 g rms, random

10 to 2,000 Hz (Nav Mat)

Shock

100 g, 10 ms half sine

Material

INCONEL® 718

Super Duplex 25 Chrome

Maximum tension and compression load

Contact Weatherford

Connections (pin x pin)

Premiumb

Maximum fiber step-out length

31 mi (50 km)c

Fiber-optic connector

3-pin dry-mate

a Pressure rating depends on flowmeter size, material, and options. Contact Weatherford for pressure rating of a specific design.
b Premium connections are manufactured to client specifications.
c Maximum step-out length depends on well design.

Dimensions and Dataad

Sizeb

Weight

Minimum ID

Maximum ID

Standard ODc

Minimum Flow Rated

(in.)

(lb/ft)

(in.)

(mm)

(in.)

(mm)

(in.)

(mm)

(bbl/d)

(m³/d)

2-3/8

4 to 5.8

1.867

47.4

2.041

51.8

4.375

111.1

1,000

159

2-7/8

6.4 to 8.6

2.259

57.4

2.441

62.0

4.875

123.8

1,500

239

3-1/2

9.2 to 10.2

2.922

74.2

2.992

76.0

5.500

139.7

2,150

342

4-1/2

12.75 to 15.1

3.758

95.5

3.958

100.5

6.500

165.1

3,500

557

5-1/2

17 to 20

4.778

121.4

4.892

124.3

7.500

190.5

6,000

954

a Flowmeter dimensions are designed to client specifications.
b Other sizes are available on request.
c Standard ODs without cable bypass or integrated pressure/temperature gauge.
d Minimum flowrate assumes liquid flow at flowmeter conditions. For gas or multiphase, contact Weatherford for a detailed analysis.

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