Multi-phase flow meters are of huge importance to the offshore oil and gas industry. Unreliable measurements can lead to many disadvantages and even wrong decision-making. It is especially important for mature reservoirs as the gas volume fraction and water cut is increasing during the lifetime of a well. Hence, it is essential to accurately monitor the multi-phase flow of oil, water and gas inside the transportation pipelines. The objective of this review paper is to present the current trends and technologies within multi-phase flow measurements and to introduce the most promising methods based on parameters such as accuracy, footprint, safety, maintenance and calibration. Typical meters, such as tomography, gamma densitometry and virtual flow meters are described and compared based on their performance with respect to multi-phase flow measurements. Both experimental prototypes and commercial solutions are presented and evaluated. For a non-intrusive, non-invasive and inexpensive meter solution, this review paper predicts a progress for virtual flow meters in the near future. The application of multi-phase flows meters are expected to further expand in the future as fields are maturing, thus, efficient utilization of existing fields are in focus, to decide if a field is still financially profitable.

/pdf/multi-phase-flow-metering-in-offshore-oil-and-gas-45z0jwqukz.pdf

Multi-Phase Flow Metering in Offshore Oil and Gas Transportation Pipelines: Trends and Perspectives.

A method of monitoring fluid flow in a closed conduit by the use of a flowmeter associated with the conduit, the fluid flowing through the meter, includes the steps of generating a signal indicative of at least one characteristic of fluid flow and measuring the signal components including any fluctuations thereof, and analysing at least one of the components of the sensed signal to determine the presence or absence of a second phase and/or to determine the magnitude of at least one of the phases.

V.C.S. Ferreira

Papers

Differential pressure spectral analysis for two-phase flow through an orifice plate