Name
Advances in Wetgas Metering Technology and Recent Applications for Flow Assurance
Description

The state of wetgas metering technology today is such that with the right combination of electromagnetic, Venturi and gamma measurements; gas, oil and water flow rates can be calculated to an uncertainty that allows them to be used for fiscal allocation. The technology is often extended to detection of formation (saline) water breakthrough using electromagnetic measurements. The detection of saline water is critical in high gas-fraction wells for flow assurance purposes, including scale, hydrate and corrosion management. However, the small volumes of produced water makes the distinction between condensed and formation water a very challenging task. In some applications, this is further complicated by the fact that MEG is injected upstream of the wetgas meter The management of sand erosion is also a challenge for gas production systems, especially if high flow velocities are expected. Excessive erosion in the Subsea Production System (SPS) may compromise asset integrity or the functionality of critical components, such as the choke valve. Production constraints may necessarily be imposed based on conservative assumptions for sand loading. Access to reliable erosion monitoring information is therefore critical in the optimization of the well operational envelope. The paper will present a state-of-the-art technology for wetgas flow measurement which has been extended to meet the challenges described above via the following developments: 1)Formation Water Detection using complementary methodologies of electromagnetic measurements and PVT predictions. Each method has its own sensitivities, but when combined provide a high degree of flexibility to the specific production scenario. The impact of chemical injection shall also be described. 2)An improved wetgas meter design which has been optimized for ultra-high GVF wells where sand erosion is a concern. The impact of which is an increased maximum gas flow rate that can be accommodated. 3)The use of ultrasonic Wall Thickness Monitors (WTMs) integrated into the wetgas meter in specific locations and used to quantify erosion over longer time frames than is typically possible using traditional sand detection methods such as Acoustic Sand Detectors (ASDs).

Date & Time
Thursday, May 18, 2023, 4:05 PM - 4:25 PM
Location Name
Diamond Ballroom West